DEFENCE

Service Personnel Memorial

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the memorial to service personnel killed since the second world war; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: A project team was appointed early last year to look at potential sites for the memorial and to consider the qualifying criteria for those to be commemorated. Extensive research was carried out on suitable sites both in and outside London. There has been wide consultation with the services and ex-service organisations on both the siting and eligibility criteria. There is general support for the proposals.
	I am delighted to be able to confirm that the Armed Forces Memorial will be sited at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The names of those commemorated will either be engraved on the memorial or in Rolls of Honour that will be kept close by in the Millennium Chapel at the Arboretum. The design of the memorial will be decided following an architectural competition that will be held later this year.
	The qualifying criteria for inclusion on the memorial are:
	"All those Service personnel who were killed on duty whilst performing functions attributable to the special circumstances and requirements of the Armed Forces, or as a result of terrorist attack, and all those who died whilst deployed on designated operations."
	An additional part of the project will be to erect a memorial plaque in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey to those members of the armed forces killed in conflict since the end of the second world war. Finally, there will be Rolls of Honour recording the names of all members of the Royal Navy and the Army who have died in service during this period. These will be kept in suitable churches in London and will be similar to those for the Royal Air Force that are kept in the Church of St. Clement Danes.
	Trustees of the Armed Forces Memorial trust will now be appointed to take this project forward. They will take on the ownership of the memorial and will be responsible for its funding and construction. Funds will be raised by public subscription.
	This is a very important national project that will also provide a platform to help educate our younger generations about the value of our armed forces.

Strategic Defence Review

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) TA AMS field hospitals, (b) TA AMS medical squadrons and (c) TA AMS specialist units were required under the terms of the Strategic Defence Review; what plans he has to alter these requirements; what plans he has to ensure each category if fully recruited; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 27 February 2002
	There are no plans to alter the number of TA AMS field hospitals, TA AMS medical squadrons and TA AMS specialist units, which are currently as follows:
	TA AMS Field Hospitals
	201 Field Hospital (V)
	202 Field Hospital (V)
	203 Field Hospital (V)
	204 Field Hospital (V)
	205 Field Hospital (V)
	207 Field Hospital (V)
	208 Field Hospital (V)
	212 Field Hospital (V)
	243 Field Hospital (V)
	256 Field Hospital (V)
	306 Field Hospital (V)
	TA AMS Medical Squadrons
	144 Parachute Medical Squadron (V)
	220 Medical Squadron (V)
	222 Medical Squadron (V)
	250 Medical Squadron (V)
	TA AMS Specialist Unit
	Ambulance Training Group (V)
	381 Medical Supply Squadron (V)
	Manpower Pool (V).
	The TA AMS will continue to benefit from a national, targeted, recruitment campaign. Since the campaign was launched in 1999, we have seen the strength of health care professionals in the TA rising by a steady 5 per cent. per annum.

Depleted Uranium

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the monitoring systems he has put in place to check the levels of depleted uranium entering the ground water and food chain from the use of munitions containing depleted uranium at Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright training areas.

Lewis Moonie: Comprehensive environmental monitoring programmes have been in place at both Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright ever since the beginning of the DU munitions trials announced in the House in 1979. These programmes have focused on the collection and analysis of samples of soil, vegetation, freshwater, seawater, seaweed, molluscs and seabed and shoreline sediments. Faecal samples from domestic and wild animals have also been collected on an opportunity basis. This monitoring continues to show that DU does not pose a significant risk to members of the public or site personnel.
	Other Government Departments with statutory health and safety and environmental protection responsibilities were consulted while these programmes were being established, and their successors, principally the Environment Agency and Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, continue to be advised of the nature and results of the monitoring activities. The local councils also receive copies of the annual environmental monitoring reports for both sites. The Ministry of Defence also made a commitment on 13 May 1998, Official Report, columns 128–29W, to continue these monitoring activities for as long as the regulatory authorities consider necessary.

Depleted Uranium

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what clean up operations he has put in place on the Crown Estate relating to the use of munitions containing depleted uranium.

Lewis Moonie: As Eskmeals, depleted uranium (DU) rounds have been fired against hard targets and the resulting DU fragments and contaminated debris have been collected after each firing. The material has then been sent for disposal at the low-level radioactive waste repository at Drigg. Air filters from the target area have also been disposed of via this route. Some higher activity material, such as DU plate, which is not suitable for disposal at Drigg, remains in storage pending a national decision on future radioactive waste disposal strategies. Some steel targets contaminated with very low levels of DU are still stored at the site and options for the disposal of this material are currently being discussed with the Environment Agency.
	At Kirkudbright, the trials require the DU rounds to be fired through very soft targets (such as hessian sheets) and to travel out to sea. In this case, remediation is required only if an experimental round malfunctions and contaminates the range area. When such impact points have been located, samples of soil and vegetation have been collected to assess the degree of contamination: clean-up is then carried out if pre-set action levels have been exceeded. Specially marked drums have been kept at each firing point for storing contaminated material and the Radiation Protection Adviser has provided disposal advice on a case-by-case basis.
	At West Freugh, a small number of DU projectiles, weighing less than 25kg in total, were fired into the sea 2km below the low-water mark. There are no records of any DU projectiles accidentally striking the land in the region. The small number of DU rounds in the sea were not considered to pose a hazard which would warrant a clean-up operation.
	Foulness had an indoor facility, in which small experimental DU projectiles were fired between 1982 and 1983. The building was designed to prevent any escape of particulate DU into the atmosphere. It is no longer in use and was decontaminated in 1997.

Depleted Uranium

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the Royal Society report on the health effects of depleted uranium munitions; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: We welcome the publication of part II of the Royal Society report which is a valuable addition to the scientific knowledge on the risks from depleted uranium (DU) munitions.
	Overall, the report's conclusions are very much in line with the Ministry of Defence's assessment that the risks DU poses to the health of UK Gulf veterans, peacekeepers in the Balkans and UK forces/civilians in current and future conflicts, are very low, in all but extreme cases. This is what we have always believed, and bears out the findings of research carried out by organisations such as the United Nations and World Health Organisation as well as ourselves.
	The extreme circumstances mentioned in the report could affect individuals such as the crew of a vehicle that had been hit by a DU round or personnel who had worked for long periods, unprotected, in a vehicle which had been hit. I am pleased to say that no UK service personnel have been exposed in this way.
	Nevertheless, there are a number of areas where we believe that further research is desirable to enhance the database on which to make judgments weighing the potential loss of life arising from not using DU munitions in battle against any potential longer term impact on human health and the environment resulting from its use.
	On 14 March 2002, I released details of the MOD research programme which contains elements that address this subject. The full details of our proposals have been placed in the Library of the House. They have also been published on the MOD website.

Porton Down

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is regarding the selection of films held in the archive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down to be transferred to the Imperial War Museum for permanent preservation; and what plans he has to change this policy.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 May 2001, Official Report, column 196W. Films held in the archive at Dstl Porton Down are gradually being transferred to the Imperial War Museum in accordance with Ministry of Defence policy. The final decision on which films should be preserved for permanent preservation rests with the Imperial War Museum. There are currently no plans to change this procedure.

Porton Down

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates since 1 January 1999 the Independent Ethics Committee overseeing human experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down has discussed the long-term effects of nerve gas on humans during its meetings.

Lewis Moonie: The Independent Ethics Committee overseeing the conduct of the Service Volunteer Programme at Dstl Porton Down has not discussed the possible long term effects of exposure to nerve agents during its meetings since 1 January 1999.

Porton Down

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the report produced by the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down in 1973 entitled "The effects of a chemical agent on the eyes of aircrew".

Lewis Moonie: Yes.

Porton Down

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many films are held by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down, of its biological warfare trial known as Operation Ozone which was conducted in 1954 off the Bahamas; and if he will place a list of the titles and dates of these films in the Library.

Lewis Moonie: Dstl Porton Down holds two canisters of 16 mm film entitled Operation Ozone 'Master' and Operation Ozone 'View' together with a videotape, entitled "Operation Ozone—1954", which contains footage extracted from the 16 mm 'Master' shot during the trial.
	However, the titles of the 1,200 films in the archive at Dstl Porton Down have not been catalogued and in many cases are not very informative. It would involve disproportionate cost to collate a compete list of films. It is not, therefore, possible to say if the two canisters of film and the videotape detailed above represents the sum total of Dstl Porton Down's film holdings in relation to Operation Ozone.

Overseas Territories/Sovereign Bases

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when (a) he, (b) a member of the Chief of the Staff and (c) a naval vessel last visited each of the (i) British Overseas Territories and (ii) sovereign bases.

Lewis Moonie: The information requested is as follows:
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence visited the Falkland Islands and Ascension Island in March 2002, Gibraltar in July 2001 and the sovereign base areas (SBAs) on Cyprus in July 2001. He has not visited any other Overseas Territories.
	Chief of the Defence Staff visited the Falkland Islands in January 2001 and Gibraltar in May 2001.
	Chief of the General Staff visited Bermuda in November 2001.
	Vice Chief of the Defence Staff visited the SBA in December 2001.
	We have no records of visits by the Chiefs of Staff to any other Overseas Territories during the last five years.
	The last visits by naval vessels were as follows:
	Anguilla—June 2001
	Bermuda—July 2001
	British Antarctic Territory—March 2002
	British Indian Ocean Territory—November 2001
	British Virgin Islands—November 2001
	Cayman Islands—August 2001
	Falkland Islands—March 2002
	Gibraltar—March 2002
	Montserrat—November 2001
	Pitcairn Islands—September 2000
	St. Helena—December 2001
	Ascension Island—July 2001
	Tristan Da Cunha—January 2002
	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands—February 2002
	Turks and Caicos Islands—July 2001
	Sovereign base area, Cyprus—March 2002.

Incapacitated Personnel

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking to facilitate the continuing employment by the armed forces in (a) a military or (b) a civilian capacity of those who become incapacitated to serve in front-line units.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence is pursuing initiatives to reduce the numbers who are temporarily unfit for operational purposes because of injury. These initiatives include measures aimed at prevention of injury, for example, improvements to the physical fitness training programmes for new entrants. The measures also include swifter assessment and better treatment of those who are injured, especially through the creation of additional rehabilitation facilities. These steps are expected to lead to a reduction in the numbers of personnel who are medically downgraded, including a reduction in the numbers who are invalided as a consequence of injury.
	Any personnel developing a permanent condition which degrades their functional capacity may require to be permanently downgraded or invalided as appropriate. The recommendation will be made in accordance with the service's medical boarding procedures. A Medical Board may recommend that an individual's medical condition is compatible with continued service in a permanently reduced medical category but the final decision will be made by the employing authority, taking into account the ability for the service to continue to employ an individual with the relevant restriction. If, despite efforts to the contrary, this turns out not to be practicable, the individual will be invalided.
	In the case of officers invalided from the service, subject to meeting the health requirements laid down, eligible individuals may apply for employment under the MOD Retired Officer scheme. Alternatively, there are no restrictions on disabled people being employed in civilian jobs in the MOD. The Department complies fully with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and was one of the first Departments to achieve the Employment Service two-tick "Positive about disabled people" symbol in May 1995. The MOD also has its own Disability Fund to pay for specialist equipment and training to help disabled employees develop their full potential at work. The Department is a member of the Employers' Forum on Disability and currently funds three disability bursaries through the Cabinet Office scheme. Around 5 per cent. of the civilian workforce of the MOD has a declared disability. This percentage is broadly in line with the estimated numbers of economically active disabled people in the working population as a whole.
	Finally, the Veterans Agency will run an integrated website and free-phone helpline from 2 April 2002 to provide the first point of contact for veterans and their dependents seeking advice and information.

Medical Staff

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the establishment of (a) doctors by specialty, (b) nurses and (c) technicians required by (i) field hospitals of the TA AMS, (ii) medical squadrons of the TA AMS and (iii) TA AMS specialist units, stating in each case the number of (A) doctors by specialty, (B) nurses and (C) technicians serving in each category; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 27 February 2002
	The answer to this question consists of an extensive set of tables, which I will place in the Library of the House.

Medical Staff

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the operational deployments of each (a) TA AMS field hospital, (b) TA AMS medical squadrons and (c) TA AMS specialist units in each of the last five years, stating in each case the number of (i) doctors by specialty, (ii) nurses and (iii) technicians deployed; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 27 February 2002
	We do not have centrally collated records for 1997, but in the four years since 1998 no TA AMS field hospitals, TA AMS medical Squadrons or TA AMS Specialist units have been deployed on operations. Individual members of the TA AMS have, however, been deployed on operations as follows:
	
		
			 Profession 1998 1999 2000 2001 Operational theatre 
		
		
			 Anaesthetist 0 5 2 5 Balkans 
			 Surgeon 0 3 6 2 All Balkans(1) 
			 Nursing Officer 9 17 15 16 Balkans 
			 Medical Officer 0 14 10 4 Balkans 
			 Technicians 14 46 31 32 Balkans 
		
	
	(1) Except one to Sierra Leone in 2001

Property Fraud

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many of his Department's property managers there are; how many have attended fraud awareness training sessions; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what fraud awareness has been included in his Department's housing training sessions; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Defence Housing Executive (DHE) has 20 Property Manager posts, two of which are vacant. Of the 18 staff in post, 17 have attended the DHE's own Property Managers' course, which includes a fraud awareness module. The remaining individual, a new entrant, will attend the next available course, which all DHE Property Managers are mandated to attend. In addition, there are wider Ministry of Defence fraud awareness seminars for property management and estate and finance staff, at which attendance may include appropriate DHE personnel.

War Pension Scheme

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost has been of running the war pension scheme appeals process in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Records are not maintained by the War Pensions Agency of the costs of preparation of war pension appeals.

War Pension Scheme

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many claims for war pensions there have been in each of the last five years; how many were successful on their first application; how many have failed and then been agreed on appeal; how many have been refused on appeal; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: For each of the last five years, the following numbers of first claims to war disablement pension were made.
	
		
			  Claims 
		
		
			 1996–97 27,660 
			 1996–98 17,201 
			 1998–99 14,072 
			 1999–2000 11,810 
			 2000–01 11,015 
		
	
	However, data on claims for war pension are not recorded in a format which can provide information on the success or failure of those claims or the numbers against which an appeal was lodged.

Golden Jubilee

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Department has spent on the Queen's Jubilee in each of the past three years; how it was allocated; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Her Majesty the Queen requested that additional expenditure on her Golden Jubilee be kept to a minimum. The armed forces are organising a royal visit which will take place in Portsmouth in late June and the Ministry of Defence will fund the cost of providing a Golden Jubilee medal to eligible service personnel. Wherever possible any expenditure on these two projects will be from its existing financial allocation. There was no identifiable expenditure on the Golden Jubilee in financial year (FY) 1999–2000. In FY 2000–01 there was an estimated £31,500 associated with planning for the Golden Jubilee and thus far in FY 2001–02 a further £1,155,000 has been spent, including the costs of supplying and issuing about 40,500 Golden Jubilee medals. Additional expenditure is anticipated in the coming FY.

Courts Martial

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to amend the Armed Forces Discipline Act 2000.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 18 March 2002
	The Armed Forces Discipline Act 2000 amended the Army and Air Force Acts 1955 and the Naval Discipline Act 1957 (the Service discipline Acts), primarily to provide for the judicial supervision of pre-trial custody and to introduce a right of appeal against findings and sentences imposed summarily.
	All discipline procedures are kept under review. We shall be considering whether any changes will be required to the aspects dealt with in the 2000 Act when the Service discipline Acts are replaced by a single piece of discipline legislation covering all the Services. We are also assessing whether any modifications may be necessary as a result of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Morris v. the United Kingdom, although that judgment was directly concerned with court martial procedures rather than the areas covered by the 2000 Act.

Territorial Forces

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of staff of his Department are members of the Territorial forces; and if he has a strategy to encourage members of staff to become members of the Territorial forces.

Lewis Moonie: Details of those civil servants within the Ministry of Defence with a Reserve Forces liability are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	An important element of the MOD's ongoing campaign to strengthen and encourage the Reserve Forces is to highlight the development benefits that Reserve Forces' training and experience can offer to individuals and, consequently, their employers. These benefits are highlighted within my own Department and staff are encouraged to consider a whole range of volunteering activities, including the Reserve Forces, as part of their personal and career development. Managers within the MOD are required to support those with reserve commitments and by so doing we aim to set a positive example to other employers.

Warship Modernisation Project

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether funding is available to undertake the transfer of HM naval bases to the three bidding contractors under the Warship Modernisation Project; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Should partnering proceed, we would not be transferring the ownership of the Naval Bases. They would remain within the control and ownership of the Ministry of Defence. We would be transferring only the delivery of certain outputs of the Naval Bases to the potential partners. Any costs arising from this would be funded from existing provision.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 31 January 2002, Official Report, column 498W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from his Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case.

Lewis Moonie: Reported cases of theft are held centrally on a summary basis only. They relate to items suspected of being stolen and so it cannot be assumed that theft actually applies in every case. The provision of comprehensive details relating to age, utilisation and nature of data stored in respect of each item of computer equipment suspected of being stolen could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that Iraq does not have the capability to use (a) nuclear, (b) chemical and (c) biological weapons of mass destruction.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	For 12 years now the UK has been at the forefront of efforts to persuade Iraq to comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions by dismantling its weapons of mass destruction capability, under the supervision of UN weapons inspectors. We have taken military action when Iraqi intransigence has left us with no other option. We have made clear that we would be prepared to do so again if necessary.

WALES

Public Relations Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent by (a) his Department and (b) bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants in each of the last four years.

Paul Murphy: This information is not readily available.

Departmental Website

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total cost of his Department's website was in real terms in each of the last four years; and how many hits it received in each of those years.

Paul Murphy: The total cost of the Welsh Office website between 1 April 1998 and 1 July 1999 was £7,867.
	The Wales Office was not charged for the running of its website between 1 July 1999 and 1 September 2000.
	The cost of running the website—including the development of a bilingual site—between 1 September 2000 and 31 August 2001 was £5,699.
	Information relating to the number of hits is not held centrally.

Cynon Valley

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales on levels of multiple social deprivation in the Cynon Valley; and what measures are being taken to provide a co-ordinated response to inequalities.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I meet regularly with the First Secretary and his Cabinet Colleagues, to discuss a range of issues affecting Wales.
	I recognise that several parts of the Cynon Valley rank relatively highly in the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation.
	The Government and the National Assembly are working in partnership to build a fairer and more inclusive society in which everyone can benefit from rising prosperity. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has already announced several measures aimed at increasing fairness for people and their communities. These include tackling child poverty, providing security in old age, rewarding saving and creating a fair and efficient tax system.
	I understand that a number of projects in the Cynon Valley are being supported by the Assembly through various funding channels, including the Local Regeneration Fund.

Czech Republic

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Welsh companies with fewer than 0.1 per cent. of their global work force employed in companies in Wales which will be accompanying the Under-Secretary of State for Wales on his forthcoming visit to the Czech Republic.

Don Touhig: No companies with fewer than 0.1 per cent. of their global work force employed in Wales, accompanied me on my recent visit to the Czech Republic.

Czech Republic

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the companies accompanied by the Under- Secretary of State in his Department on the visit to the Czech Republic in the week commencing 11 March.

Don Touhig: The companies that accompanied me were:
	Adams Consulting Engineers Ltd. (Mold, Flintshire);
	Garner Southall Partnership (Llandrindod Wells, Powys);
	HPA Property Ltd. (Gorseinon, Swansea);
	Invest E Ltd. (Welshpool, Powys);
	MIGs (Cardiff);
	RPS Chapman Warren (Cardiff);
	Y Faenol Cyf/The Vaynol Estate (Bangor, Gwynedd).

Dairy Crest

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assistance has been given to the Dairy Crest plants in Wales.

Paul Murphy: Since 1 July 1999, this is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales. Available records show no Welsh Office support to Dairy Crest plants prior to that date.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 706–07W, on stolen equipment, whether the laptop stolen from his Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on it.

Paul Murphy: I understand that this theft, which dates from the period of the former Welsh Office, was of ancillary cabling equipment for a laptop rather than the laptop itself. There was thus no loss of data.

Departmental Functions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the functions of his Department that have been (a) market tested and (b) outsourced in each of the last five years, specifying the (i) money saving and (ii) percentage saving in each case.

Paul Murphy: Executive functions previously a matter for the Welsh Office have in general transferred to the National Assembly for Wales and so the Wales Office has undertaken no market testing or outsourcing since it was established in July 1999.
	Between April 1997 and June 1999 the former Welsh Office undertook these exercises:
	market testing of the valuation services being provided by the Valuation Office agency in 1996–97. This led to the award of a three-year contract to DTZ Debenham Tie Leung;
	outsourcing of the Highways Directorate's property management function in South Wales in 1997–98. This was achieved by a three-year contract with Messrs. Darlows estate agents of Newport outsourcing on an interim basis;
	outsourcing on an interim basis the work previously undertaken by Government property lawyers following their demise in 1999. This work was undertaken by Bissmire Fudge and Bond Pearce.
	Figures for the savings achieved are not readily available as these contracts are now a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

Ministerial Visits (National Assembly)

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many visits (a) he and (b) the Under-Secretary of State for Wales have made to the National Assembly for Wales in each month since July 1999.

Paul Murphy: I visit the National Assembly virtually on a weekly basis for meetings with the First Minister, Assembly Ministers and other meetings. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary visits the Assembly on the same basis for meetings with Assembly Ministers and others.

PRIME MINISTER

Job Advertisements

John Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the job advertisements placed by his Department in the last 12 months specifying where the advertisements were placed and the cost in each case.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office. on 19 March.

Flexible Working

John Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister how many and what proportion of the staff of his office are (a) job sharing, (b) term working and (c) engaged in another form of flexible working.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on Monday 18 March, Official Report, column 74W.

Manpower

John Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister how many staff have been employed by his office in each of the last 10 years.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on Tuesday 19 March.

Special Advisers

John Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the number and expected cost to his office of special advisers in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Tony Blair: At 13 March, there are 27 special advisers in my office. On cost, I have already announced the introduction of a revised pay system for special advisers based on individual job evaluation. The process of evaluation is currently under way. The cost will be provided once the process is completed.

US Nuclear Weapons

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the US Administration concerning the review of its policies on the use of nuclear weapons.

Tony Blair: I discussed the US Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) with Vice President Dick Cheney, on his visit to London on 11 March. We welcome the in-depth review of deterrence and nuclear policy that the review represents and its main conclusion that the US can cut its operationally deployed strategic nuclear weapons by two-thirds to 1,700 to 2,200. We note US Administration comments that the NPR represents prudent conceptual thinking, not an operational plan, and that the US does not target any country on a day-to-day basis. We also welcome the US Administration's statements that there has been no change to US first strike policy.

Meetings

John MacDougall: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the Spanish Prime Minister; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I talk to the Spanish Prime Minister frequently on a range of EU and foreign policy issues. Our most recent discussions were at the Barcelona European Council.

Gibraltar

Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit Gibraltar.

Tony Blair: I have no immediate plans to do so.

Kyoto

Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had on the issue of climate change and Kyoto with the Australian Prime Minister during the recent Commonwealth talks; and if he will make a statement on climate change negotiations, with particular reference to Kyoto.

Tony Blair: The issue of climate change was discussed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting where the final communiqué stated "Head of Government expressed concern about the consequences of global warming and climate change, especially for the vulnerable small island states and other low-lying areas".
	I firmly believe that the Kyoto Protocol remains the only workable basis to take forward international action to tackle climate change. We intend to ratify the Protocol in time for it to enter into force by the World Summit on Sustainable Development. A European Community decision to ratify Kyoto, which paved the way for the UK and the other EU member states to complete their own ratification procedures, was adopted on 4 March. On 7 March, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs made a statement to the House setting in motion the process of UK ratification of the Protocol, which will be completed on or shortly after 19 April. UK And EU ratification of the Kyoto Protocol will send an important message to the world that we are committed to the Protocol and to tackling climate change.

Overseas Acquisitions

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since May 1997 he, or his office, have (a) assisted and (b) issued an official communication to welcome an overseas acquisition by an individual or company.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him and the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) on 14 February 2002, Official Report, columns 610–11W.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the United States Administration on military action in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I regularly discuss all aspects of Iraq policy with President Bush and the US Administration. My most recent discussions were with US Vice-President Cheney in London on 11 March. I will have another opportunity to do so during my visit to the US next month.

Iraq

Angus Robertson: To ask the Prime Minister if it is his policy that a new and specific mandate from the United Nations Security Council is an essential condition of (a) any international offensive military action against Iraq and (b) the deployment of UK forces in action against Iraq.

Tony Blair: holding answer 19 March 2002
	No decision has been taken to launch military action against Iraq, and so the question of whether authorisation is needed does not arise.

Government Loans

Huw Edwards: To ask the Prime Minister when the Performance and Innovation Unit will publish its report on Modernising Government Loans.

Tony Blair: The Performance and Innovation Unit's report "Lending Support—Modernising the Government's Use of Loans" is being published today. The key conclusions of the report are:
	(i) It sets out a new framework with criteria that will help consistent judgments to be made on when loans are more appropriate to use than alternatives such as grants;
	(ii) Most existing Government loans, and similar types of support, score well under these criteria;
	(iii) The framework has been demonstrated by applying it to a number of illustrative case studies, such as the example of a Government loan for unemployed people who wish to set up in self-employment;
	(iv) It announces a feasibility study looking into the longer-term opportunities offered by greater joining up of the administration of all forms of citizens' debts to Government and financial transactions more generally. This will report to Ministers who will decide whether or not to commission further work.
	Copies of the report have been placed in the Vote Office and the Libraries.

TREASURY

Office for National Statistics

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a disaggregated analysis of how the Office for National Statistics intends to spend the money granted by supplementary estimate for the various purposes listed on page 57 of HC 636.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Mr. Len Cook to Mr. David Liddington dated 20 March 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning how the Office for National Statistics intends to spend the money granted by supplementary estimate for the various purposes listed on page 57 of HC 636. (44085)
	The requested information is on page 4 of the "Office for National Statistics, Spring Supplementary Estimate 2001–02" (Cm 5399), a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 704W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from his Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case.

Ruth Kelly: (a) None.
	(b) All. None of the items capable of storing data will have contained anything but unclassified material.

Public Sector Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the payment of salaries to public sector workers which reflect the cost of living in London and the south-east.

Andrew Smith: holding answer 19 March 2002
	We are carefully considering pay issues, among others, in the Spending Review now under way with close regard to achievement of the Government's objectives for public services.

Public Sector Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the pay structures in building societies to assist his consideration of public sector pay rates.

Andrew Smith: holding answer 19 March 2002
	We have no plans for any specific detailed assessment of pay structures in building societies. However, the Treasury keeps abreast of pay structures in the economy so as to ensure policy remains well informed.

Informers' Reward

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions, prior to 31 March 2001, the Treasury has withheld consent to an informers' reward awarded by the Inland Revenue under section 32 of the Inland Revenue Act 1890; and on what grounds and statutory authority.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 18 March 2002
	The Inland Revenue is not aware of any case in which the Treasury has withheld consent for it to make a reward payment.

Contributions Agency (Bills)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the sending out of bills to people below the small earnings threshold by the Contributions Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 15 March 2002
	The Department does not normally issue bills to people whose earnings are below the small earnings threshold.

Aggregates Tax

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made on the definition of a green quarry for the purposes of an aggregates tax.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 26 February 2002
	As announced in the pre-Budget report, the Government have decided not to pursue a differential rate scheme for so-called "green quarries" at the present time, because of difficulties in assessing environmental performance accurately and the prospect of setting up perverse incentives.

Aggregates Tax

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the timetable for the introduction of an aggregates tax; and if he will postpone its introduction.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 26 February 2002
	As announced in Budget 2000, the aggregates levy will be introduced on 1 April 2002. The General Regulations will be made and laid this week. The draft Finance Bill clauses will be published very shortly.
	The following technical amendments that the Government propose to make in this year's Finance Bill to facilitate the smooth functioning of the aggregates levy, and which were announced in the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Barbara Follett) on 12 March 2002, will be effective immediately from the introduction of the levy:
	To amend the definition of aggregate to include rock that has not been subject to an industrial crushing process
	To clarify the definition of dimension stone
	To extend the exemption for processing waste arising from the extraction of coal to the processing waste of all industrial minerals
	To clarify that for all mineral extraction, any aggregate contained in the overburden is taxable
	To extend the exemption for aggregate won from forest or farm land and used in adjacent land, to its use in land occupied with that forest or farm
	To extend the exemption for drill cuttings to include onshore drill cuttings
	To introduce a number of minor technical amendments which clarify policy intention, close a potential loophole or bring the legislation into line with other taxes. These were detailed in Customs and Excise Business Brief number 17/2001 issued on 28 November 2001.
	The proposed relief for aggregates used in processed products in Northern Ireland, will be backdated to 1 April 2002, on approval under European Community state aid rules, to ensure that no levy is paid on aggregate used to make these products in 2002–03.

Aggregates Tax

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to introduce a deminimis level for those affected by the aggregates tax.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 26 February 2002
	The Government have no such plans.

Invest to Save Budget

Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made on the Government's Invest to Save Budget.

Andrew Smith: I am pleased to announce that 75 bids from across the public sector have been successful in round 4 of the Invest to Save Budget, at a cost of £47 million in 2002–03, including consequential funding for the devolved Administrations, and £79 million in total over both years to 2002–04. The table describes the winners of this round.
	
		
			 Lead partner Title 
		
		
			 Central Government  
			 Cabinet Office Embedding cross sector partnership working 
			 Cabinet Office Electronic free school means administration 
			 DCMS Science Museum Making the modern world online 
			 DCMS English Tourist Council RESTOUR (creation of an online tourism community to aid recovery of English tourism) 
			 DEFRA Online UK fishing vessel registration system 
			 DEFRA DEFRA fisheries—fishing portal 
			 DEFRA National grain sampling and analysis system 
			 DEFRA Severe weather and flooding warnings—informing the public 
			 DEFRA Electronic data delivery for the plant breeding and seed industry 
			 DFES Construction and engineering industry training board online levy returns 
			 DFES Early detection of dyslexia 
			 DFES Social Bank (savings gateway pilots) 
			 DFES Support for enterprising communities 
			 DFES Prisoners Learning and Skills Unit National technical IT skills linked to a prisoner resettlement programme 
			 DFES/LA GM Connexions Partnership E-Pal (Electronic or virtual personal adviser) 
			 DTI Redundancy payments service—e-business project 
			 DTLR Transmit fire database electronically 
			 DTLR Electronic systems for highways (central notification of works project) 
			 DTLR Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Electronic links between DVLA and local authorities 
			 DTLR Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Electronic reporting of fitness to drive 
			 DTLR Health and Safety Executive Electronic health and safety tools for the business support network 
			 DTLR Health and Safety Executive Electronic risk assessment system for farmers 
			 DTLR Northumberland County Council Fire Authority Citizens' fire, safety and health academy 
			 DWP Performance framework for administering housing benefit and council tax benefit 
			 DWP Performance improvement action teams administering housing benefit and council tax benefit 
			 DWP Flexible employment service delivery—prisons pilot 
			 DWP Encouraging ex-NHS workers back to the NHS 
			 DWP Training older jobseekers as IT technicians in secondary schools 
			 DWP Assisting in processing claims and backlogs of work 
			 Forestry Commission IT/administration systems to deliver forestry grants and licences 
			 Home Office Police Creation of a national centre for applied learning technology in the police 
			 Home Office Police Abandoned vehicles and citizen information database 
			 Home Office Volunteering and training (joint project between the Prison Service and West Yorkshire Police 
			 Home Office Showcase hospitals (security/safety) 
			 Home Office Showcase schools (security/safety) 
			 Home Office Missing persons database and strategy 
			 Home Office Parenting involvement study 
			 Home Office Community merit awards 
			 Home Office Passport Office Direct electronic passports project 
			 Home Office Passport Office Key passport information access for staff in the UK and abroad 
			 Home Office ACU Online application and database of funding opportunities for voluntary and community sector bodies 
			 Inland Revenue Tax helpline for charities 
			 Land Registry Electronic conveyancing 
			 LCD Legal Service Commission Live and interactive expert system in west midlands 
			 UK Hydrographic Office Integrated coastal hydrography scheme 
			   
			 Health and local authorities  
			 Health Birmingham HA Housing web for people with learning disabilities with forensic needs 
			 Health North Cumbria HA Online delivery of BSc (Hons) nurse practitioner course 
			 Health North Notts HA Re-engineering youth services in Bassetlaw 
			 Basildon District Council In your place (access to housing benefit claims) 
			 Bradford "ADL Smartcare" (re-engineering the provision of aids to daily living to elderly people) 
			 Brighton and Hove City Council Database for online accessing of direct payments for care and support 
			 Cumbria County Council Single information and ICT platform 
			 Gateshead Council E-power for Gateshead's third sector 
			 Kent County Council Kent Connects (comprehensive ICT-based infrastructure) 
			 Kirklees Metropolitan Council Development of E-procurement system 
			 Knowsley MBC Business to council to community 
			 Liverpool City Council Intelligence-led Government (electronic service for all licences and permissions within local government) 
			 London Borough of Barnet Hand-held communications devices in community care and health services 
			 London Borough of Bromley Electronic booking portal 
			 Manchester City Council Eastserv.com (community portal) 
			 Melton Borough Council Welland contact centre 
			 North East Derbyshire District Council Online revenues and benefits system 
			 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Establish electronic access points to the Connexions Service 
			 Salisbury District Council Online Salisbury development portal 
			 Somerset County Council SomersetOnline virtual contact points 
			 Southampton City Council Data sharing between social landlords and welfare advice agencies 
			 Warwickshire County Council UTOPIA: Using technology for older people: information and action 
			 West Sussex County Council Drug action exchange 
			 Wigan Council Preventing crime and poor health by early intervention 
			 Wokingham Council School admissions online trial 
			   
			 Voluntary and community bodies  
			 City and Guilds Delivery of online assessments, delivery of e-learning materials 
			 Galleries of Justice A website for young offenders (partially designed by ex-offenders with video-streamed advice) 
			 Thames Valley Partnership Socially-inclusive approaches to community safety 
			 Sheffield Advice Centres Group Single access point to Sheffield's excluded communities 
			 The Asphaleia Project Mentoring project for young asylum seekers

Valuation Office Agency

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals have worked on secondment to the Valuation Office Agency since 1 January 1999; how long each individual worked on secondment; from which organisation each individual was seconded; what the names of each were; and what the responsibilities were of each individual while they worked at the Valuation Office Agency.

Ruth Kelly: The information is as follows:
	
		
			 Start End Organisation Division appointed to Duties 
		
		
			 25 April 2000 24 June 2000 Hong Kong Rating and Valuation Department Rating Inspections and rating of non-domestic properties. Performed all duties of a valuer. 
			 17 April 2001 17 August 2001 UKAEA Land Service Team Inspections, measurement and valuation of properties. Highway and health authority cases. 
		
	
	I do not have the permission of the secondees to release their personal details.

Child Poverty

Irene Adams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he will introduce to reduce child poverty in the next four years.

Dawn Primarolo: This Government are committed to abolishing child poverty within a generation and halving it by 2010. As part of this commitment, we recently published a strategy document entitled 'Tackling child poverty: giving every child the best possible start in life' which will inform the Budget and Spending Review 2002. As a result of tax and benefit changes announced in the last Parliament, there are now 1.2 million fewer children in poverty than there would otherwise have been.
	During this Parliament, the Government will continue to make progress towards its goals with the introduction of two new tax credits—the child tax credit and the working tax credit. The Government are also making substantial new investments in services for children. Over the four years to 2004, average real-terms annual growth in spending on education and training in England will be over 5½ per cent. In addition, extra funds have been made available for SureStart, Neighbourhood Renewal and the Children's Fund.

Tax Allowances (Pensioners)

Paul Truswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what charges there have been in (a) cash and (b) real terms in the age-related tax allowances for pensioners between 1998–99 and 2002–03.

Dawn Primarolo: Age-related personal allowances have been increased between 1998–99 and 2002–03 by £690 and £770 in cash terms, and by £150 and £210 more than statutory indexation over this period for those aged 65–74 and 75+ respectively.

NIRS2

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many National Insurance records are incomplete as a result of the problems with the NIRS2 computer; and how many records that were incomplete have been completed.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not readily available and could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.

Retirement

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax incentives are in place to encourage individuals to invest for their retirement directly.

Dawn Primarolo: Contributions which individuals make to tax approved pension schemes, and the build up of those contributions, attract tax reliefs. Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) may also be used to help provide for retirement and offer tax-free income and capital gains on the investments held in them.

Expenditure

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the companies from which his Department has obtained timber and wood products and the total spent with each firm over the last five years.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury's main supplier of timber and wood products in Kinnarps (UK) Ltd who provide office furniture. The total spend for the past five years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997–98 67,462 
			 1998–99 102,845 
			 1999–2000 207,670 
			 2000–01 36,689 
			 2001–02 107,138 
		
	
	This represents the major procurement of timber and wood products by the Department. There may have been other items purchased containing timber or wood but the information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Lord of Appeal in Ordinary

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the Consolidated Fund of employing a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary was in 2001.

Michael Wills: I have been asked to reply.
	The full cost to the Consolidated Fund of employing a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 2001 was £219,757. The full consolidated fund costs are as outlined:
	Salary—£158,004
	Ernic—£17,502.
	In addition notional pension contributions are assessed at 28 per cent. of salary which equates to £44,251.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which public service agreement targets scheduled to be met in 2002 will not be achieved by the due date.

Ruth Kelly: Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Treasury's 2002 departmental report.

Public Services Productivity

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 13 March 2002, ref. 42949, on public services productivity, which units within the Treasury are working on the paper; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: I have nothing further to add to the reply given to the hon. Gentleman on 13 March 2002.

Women's Organisations

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which women's organisations have been consulted over proposed legislation by her Department during the (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 parliamentary sessions; and if their responses have been published.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 14 March 2002
	As is normal in the run-up to the Budget, the Government have received a number of representations from a variety of organisations. The Government's consultations generate a large number of representations. We are grateful to the many organisations that have taken the trouble to let us know their views. These ideas feed into the reforms that the Government have made to the tax system since 1997.

Secondment

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials from the Bank of England are on secondment to the Treasury; what work they are engaged in; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 6 March 2002
	The Treasury has for decades had regular exchanges of staff with the Bank of England. Currently there are three Bank of England officials working in the Treasury. They are engaged in:
	Permanent Secretary support in PERM directorate;
	Policy advice in Budget and Public Finance directorate;
	Policy advice in Macroeconomic Policy and International Finance directorate.

Communications Costs

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the annual budget for communications activities, including press, public relations, marketing and internal communications, was for his Department for each financial year from 1997–98 to 2001–02.

Ruth Kelly: Figures for the annual budgets for the communications team at the Treasury are presented in the table.
	
		£ 
		
			 Financial year Total communication budget 
		
		
			 1997–98 869,956 
			 1998–99 961,358 
			 1999–2000 1,281,295 
			 2000–01 1,569,494 
			 2001–02 1,945,294 
		
	
	In addition, in 2001–02 there was a one-off spend on updating the Treasury's website. The cost of this one-off project is given in my answer to the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Mr. Flight) on 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 321W.

Staff (Special Leave)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many members of staff of his Department are members of the Territorial Forces; and if he has a strategy for his Department to encourage members of staff to become members of the Territorial forces;
	(2)  how many members of staff at his Department are justices of the peace; and if he has a strategy for his Department to encourage members of staff to become justices of the peace.

Ruth Kelly: Information on whether staff are members of the Territorial Forces or are justices of the peace is not held centrally. Staff are eligible for special leave with pay for attendance at annual training camps for Reserve Forces training. Where additional training is required unpaid special leave may be authorised. Staff who are justices of the peace are allowed paid special leave to undertake their duties.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Drug Dealing

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the number of republican and loyalist terrorist organisations (a) involved in and (b) benefiting financially from illegal drug dealing in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: From his adjournment debate in December the member for South Antrim will be aware that those involved in both paramilitary activity and dealing directly in drugs are predominantly loyalists, but it is not their exclusive preserve. Organised crime gangs with no paramilitary links are also involved. We are responding firmly and robustly to the drugs problem through the organised crime task force. The hon. Gentleman will wish to join me in congratulating PSNI for their recent successes.

Belfast Agreement

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government are taking to implement all aspects of the Belfast Agreement.

John Reid: Enormous progress has been made. We have fully functioning institutions; a fundamental reform of policing is under way; we have rights protection arrangements that are second to none; and the normalisation of life continues as the conflict is put behind us, a transformation symbolised by the significant act of decommissioning last year. All those involved need to maintain their efforts in order to complete implementation of the Agreement, in a way that engages the commitment of all parts of the community in Northern Ireland.

Fugitives From Justice

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the number of fugitives from justice who are being sought in Northern Ireland.

John Reid: The figures requested are not readily available. I will write as soon as possible.

Police Service

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many recruits to the police service of Northern Ireland are in training.

Jane Kennedy: Over 200 new recruits, appointed on a 50 per cent. Catholic, 50 per cent. non-Catholic basis, have now taken up training posts with the police service of Northern Ireland, and appointments are continuing. The first tranche of recruits will be attested as constables on 5 April 2002.

Amnesty

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on an amnesty for those who have committed acts of terrorism in Northern Ireland.

John Reid: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight.

Counterfeit Goods

Eric Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress the Government have made in combating trade in counterfeit goods in Northern Ireland.

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress the Government have made in combating trade in counterfeit goods in Northern Ireland.

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent progress the Government have made in combating trade in counterfeit goods in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: In Northern Ireland we are seeking to tackle and confront the trade in counterfeit goods through the co-ordinated efforts of the Organised Crime Task Force which I chair.
	The task force provides a multi-agency approach to tackling the range of organised criminal activity that exists in Northern Ireland and to optimise our approach members are drawn from HM Customs and Excise, PSNI and N10, as well as others.
	Specifically to highlight and bring to the forefront of the Northern Ireland public's attention the major wrong of supporting those who trade illegally, Sir Reg Empey (Minister for Enterprise in the Northern Ireland Executive) and I paid a visit to shops and businesses in Belfast city centre before Christmas to visibly encourage the support of legitimate trade. We sought to highlight further the wrongdoing of supporting those who trade in counterfeit goods through articles by Sir Reg and myself in the task force's news-sheet entitled "Response", which receives a wide distribution within Northern Ireland.
	I would pay particular tribute to the work of the police and other agencies who have recorded a number of successes in recent months against those trading in counterfeit goods. One such example relates to police operations at Nutts Corner market where in October 2001 £80,000 was seized and on 23 December 2001 £18,000 worth of counterfeit CDs and Playstation games were seized. Other recent successful seizures include £40,000 worth of counterfeit clothing at Kilkeel market and £60,000 worth of counterfeit CDs etc. following a house search in Jonesborough.
	At the end of January I co-hosted with Sir Reg Empey an event at Hillsborough Castle which brought together leading Northern Ireland business leaders representing such organisations as the CBI, Institute of Directors, small businesses, the construction industry and banking, to name but some. The event was part of our on-going attempts to engage with the business community and enlist their support in the fight against organised criminal activity in its many forms. I will be continuing with this process of engagement in the months ahead.

Organised Crime

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the level of criminal activity undertaken by paramilitary groups.

Jane Kennedy: The Organised Crime Task Force, which I chair, is continuing to tackle head on organised criminal activity in all its forms. In last year's threat assessment, published in March 2001, the Organised Crime Task Force identified 78 organised crime groups, involving around 400 individuals. About half of the groups have links to paramilitary groups.
	However, the lines between terrorism and organised crime are blurred. Approaching terrorism as just terrorism, or organised crime as just organised crime, will inevitably overlook the common ground between the two. Both depend on a group of individuals operating together in secrecy with the same need to launder proceeds from racketeering, drugs, armed robberies etc. regardless of whether this is for personal gain or paramilitary purposes.

Organised Crime

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance is being provided from the United States to assist in combating organised crime and gangsterism in Northern Ireland.

Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance is being provided from the United States to assist in combating organised crime and gangsterism in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint).

Organised Crime

David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the links between paramilitary organisations and organised crime gangs in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Organised Crime Task Force published a threat assessment in March 2001, which identified 78 organised crime groups in Northern Ireland involving some 400 individuals. About half of the groups have links to the paramilitaries.
	The next threat assessment and strategy will be published in May 2002.

Integrated Schools

Tony McWalter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress was made in increasing the number of integrated schools in the period 1998 to 2001.

John Reid: Responsibility for this subject has been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Victims Liaison Unit

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the operation of the Victims Liaison Unit.

Des Browne: The Victims Liaison Unit, established in 1998 to implement the recommendations of the Bloomfield Report is responsible for: the provision of core funding to victims support groups; management and provision of grant aid to the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund; prioritisation and allocation of central Government funding for victims; and ensuring that all victims' issues which fall within the excepted and reserved fields in Northern Ireland are addressed.
	The unit works in close partnership with the devolved Administration's Victims Unit. This co-ordinated approach ensures the most effective support to victims of the troubles.

Electoral Fraud

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to use national insurance numbers as a means of combating electoral fraud in Northern Ireland.

Jean Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to use national insurance numbers as a means of combating electoral fraud in Northern Ireland.

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland on measures to combat electoral fraud.

Des Browne: Government amendments to the Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Bill in the House of Lords enable national insurance numbers to be used in the electoral process in Northern Ireland.
	A person applying to the electoral register in respect of an address in Northern Ireland will be required to give their national insurance number (or to make a statement that they do not have one). A person's name will be removed from the register in respect of any address if they return an application for registration in respect of that address without their national insurance number (or without a statement that they do not have one). Any person who provides false information on registration shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months; or a fine not exceeding level five on the standard scale, or to both.
	An application for an absent vote will be granted only if it states the applicant's national insurance number (or states that the applicant does not have one) and if the Chief Electoral Officer is satisfied that the national insurance number or statement on the application corresponds with the number or statement which the applicant gave on their application for registration.
	The Chief Electoral Officer will be able to check the information given to him concerning an elector's national insurance number with the authority responsible for them (currently the Department for Work and Pensions).

Paramilitary Violence

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to reduce the incidents of punishment beatings and harassment of citizens by paramilitary organisations.

Jane Kennedy: These attacks are completely the opposite of what the Belfast Agreement was about. Those who sanction them and carry them out are the enemies of a transition to a peaceful society in Northern Ireland. Police investigate all such attacks but their investigations into these offences are often hampered, as the victims generally decline to make a formal complaint. Regrettably therefore prosecutions are therefore extremely rare.
	The Government continue to support the police providing them with the resource they require, but it is also important that members of communities from which the perpetrators of these attacks emanate pass on relevant information to the police. This can be done in strict confidence using the Crimestoppers line.

Anti-drugs Campaigns

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what anti-drugs campaigns the police service in Northern Ireland runs in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what anti-drugs campaigns the police service of Northern Ireland runs in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The PSNI has developed the Citizen and Safety Education Programme (CASE), in an attempt to establish close links between the police and school community. Health education, which is one of the five elements of the CASE Programme, is delivered to Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 pupils, and focuses specifically on alcohol and the law, drugs and the law and solvent abuse.
	In relation to the area of drugs and the law, students are provided with information on the various names that are given to drugs, the appearance of drugs through the use of a "Drugs Toolkit", which drugs are legal and illegal, the different categories of drugs, the effects that certain drugs can have on the body and which drugs are addictive. Students are also made aware of the penalties incurred for possession, production and/or trafficking of drugs.

Victims

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with victims of terrorist violence in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with victims of terrorist violence in Northern Ireland on Government support for them; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Since taking up my post as Northern Ireland Victims Minister I have met victims' groups on average twice a month. I am continuing my programme of visits to groups and I also meet regularly with practitioners and academics in the field.

Terrorism (Financing)

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions there have been with the Irish Government on tackling the financing of terrorism in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: Ministers and officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the Irish Government to discuss issues of mutual concern including the financing of terrorist organisations.

Decommissioning

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the process of decommissioning of illegal weapons and explosives to be completed.

Jane Kennedy: The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning reported, on 23 October 2001, that it had witnessed an event, which it regarded as significant, in which the IRA had put a quantity of arms completely beyond use.
	We now want to see further decommissioning by the IRA, and decommissioning by all other terrorist groups. The timing of any future decommissioning events is a matter for the IICD.

Police Manpower

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the manpower strength is of police in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: At 15 February the full-time manpower strength was 9,296 officers. This includes 7,004 regular officers (plus 87 seconded to UN duty in Kosovo etc.) and 2,205 full-time reserve officers. In addition there were 1,014 part-time reservists.

Castlereagh Police Complex

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he intends to take in relation to the breach of security at Castlereagh police complex.

John Reid: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in reply to the private notice question earlier today.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Unauthorised Pupil Absences

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many unauthorised absences there were (a) in absolute terms and (b) as a proportion of all absences, in (i) secondary and (ii) primary schools, broken down by local authority since 1997–98.

Ivan Lewis: Tables showing the half days missed due to unauthorised absences in (a) absolute terms and (b) as a proportion of all absences in (i) maintained secondary schools and (ii) maintained primary schools by each local education authority in England since 1997–98 have been placed in the Library.

Pupil Information

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether her Department obtained the agreement of the Data Protection Commissioner for (a) the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census and (b) the Connexions Service's information gathering;
	(2)  under what powers the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census seeks to record the ethnicity of each pupil; and for how long that information may be recorded other than in aggregated form;
	(3)  to which (a) Government and (b) other agencies information in the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census may be passed (i) with and (ii) without the agreement of the individual data subject or his parents;
	(4)  what right individual pupils and parents have to decline to provide information to schools which may be passed on through the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census; and whether sanctions may be taken by (a) her Department and (b) local education authorities against schools which failed to obtain information from parents;
	(5)  which organisations she consulted on the introduction of PLASC;
	(6)  to what extent data subjects, their parents, have the right (a) to access to their information, (b) to correct that information and (c) to control access to that information on (i) PLASC and (ii) the Connexions databases;
	(7)  what information on (a) PLASC and (b) the Connexions national database is intended only for use by technical staff;
	(8)  if she will give instructions that ethnicity data on PLASC-originated database for all those whose ethnicity is identified as Jewish will be deleted on those pupils leaving school.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 11 March and 14 March 2002
	Pupil Level Annual Schools Census (PLASC) All information in PLASC about individual pupils, including their ethnicity, is collected from schools under Regulations laid under section 537A of the Education Act 1996, as amended by section 140(1), paragraph 153 of Schedule 30 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
	PLASC information will be used by the Department solely for statistical purposes. It remains of statistical value after pupils have left school—for example to monitor patterns of progression from school into further education and training, higher education and the labour market, and how these patterns vary between different groups of pupils, including different ethnic groups. In order to be able to derive such statistics PLASC information will be retained indefinitely on an individual pupil basis, as allowed by section 33 of the Data Protection Act 1998.
	With respect to pupils' ethnicity, the ethnic groups used for PLASC in January 2002 were based on those from the 1991 national population Census, and from January 2003 will be based on those from the 2001 Census. In neither case is Jewish identified as a separate ethnic group, nor is there any other information in PLASC that identifies pupils as Jewish.
	Relatively little of the information in PLASC is provided by pupils or parents—much of it will be known by the school from its own interactions with pupils, or will be received from other sources. The main items that are provided by pupils or parents (in addition to name, date of birth and home postcode) are ethnic group and first language. Schools should seek this information, but pupils or parents have the right to withhold it. Most schools already obtain this information routinely.
	The White Paper "Excellence in Schools", published in July 1997, highlighted the need for much better pupil level information to be available throughout the schools sector in order to support the drive to raise standards, and also for a national system of "unique pupil numbers" (UPNs) to enable this information to be collated accurately on a pupil by pupil basis. A consultation document was issued in December 1997 with detailed proposals (including PLASC, UPNs and a central pupil database) addressing the issues raised by the White Paper. This document was sent to LEAs, teacher associations, church and religious organisations, governors' and parents' organisations, the Data Protection Registrar (as she was then), leading civil liberties organisations (Liberty and Charter 88), and a range of other interested organisations (including the Commission for Racial Equality). A summary of the document was also sent to all schools.
	Before and after this consultation exercise the Department had meetings with the Data Protection Registrar and her officials, and a series of measures were agreed in respect of the issuing of UPNs, and their use in the collection and collation of pupil level data. These measures aimed to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act, and minimise any possible threat to the privacy of pupils. The Department continues to discuss the use of UPNs and pupil level information with the Information Commissioner's Office as and when issues arise, and is also planning to discuss with her Office security arrangements for the forthcoming central pupil database.
	The Department has no interest in the identity of individual pupils as such. Pupil names and UPNs are collected to enable PLASC information to be linked, pupil by pupil, with Key Stage and examination results which are collected separately, and from one year to the next. Technical staff engaged in this data linking will, for that purpose, need to have access to pupil names and UPNs. The linked data (without pupil names and UPNs) will then be used to carry out statistical analyses of attainment levels, and how these vary according to the various pupil attributes identified in PLASC.
	Pupils, or in certain circumstances their parents or guardians, will be able to see the information held about them in the central database, and to ask for correction of any inaccurate data. Details of other organisations or individuals who may, subject to certain conditions, have access to data with pupil names were provided in my answer on 28 January 2002, Official Report, columns 109–11W to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington). Pupils and parents will not be able to control such access except in the case of the Connexions Service, where access will not be allowed if the pupil or their parent (depending on the pupil's age) has instructed that they do not wish it to happen, and in certain circumstances in the case of access by research organisations.
	Connexions The Department is in discussion with the Office of the Information Commissioner about the collection of information for Connexions.
	There is as yet no national Connexions database containing information about individual young people. Connexions is delivered through local Connexions partnerships, of which 15 are operating at present. Each of these is responsible for the information it holds about young people in its area, and provides information to the Connexions Service National Unit in aggregate form only. We are examining what national approaches will be appropriate to support the work of local Connexions partnerships. Feasibility testing is at an early stage.
	Young people have the right to see all information held about them by Connexions, and are able to request correction of any inaccurate data. They are not able to control access to Connexions partnerships' databases, but partnerships must ensure that all processing of information about young people complies with data protection principles.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 818–19W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from her Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case.

Ivan Lewis: Of the computer equipment stolen from the Department for Education and Skills since 1997, all but two were used. The remaining two new and unused were laptops stolen from a storeroom and were awaiting issue. None of the data on the computers was of a sensitive or personal nature.

Specialist Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects to announce the schools which have been successful in their bids for specialist school status in the bidding round which involves bids being submitted before the 15 March deadline; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: We expect to announce the names of successful applicants in each of the eight specialisms from the March 2002 specialist school competition in early July.

Congestion Charging

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate has been made of the effects of congestion charging on the recruitment of teachers in schools within the congestion charging zone in London.

Stephen Timms: No estimate has been made. We do not collect any information about the number of teachers who travel to work by car.

Congestion Charging

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the cost to a teacher over a year of the extra costs of congestion charging in London if they use a car to drive to work.

Stephen Timms: If a teacher were subject to congestion charging, the total cost over a full academic year would be £975.

Congestion Charging

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will allow teachers affected by congestion charges to be reimbursed the extra costs.

Stephen Timms: The School Teachers' Pay and Conditions document already allows schools and LEAs to make payments to teachers for travel expenses incurred in connection with their journey to and from work.

Public Services

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what meetings she has had, and representations she has received from Members of the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Assembly Executive regarding the increased use of private sector funding in delivering public services, broken down by date and subject.

Ivan Lewis: My Department has not met with representations from the Welsh Assembly Executive or Members of the National Assembly for Wales regarding the increased use of private sector funding in delivering public services.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the Public Service Agreement targets which have been revised and those which have been introduced since the publication of the 2001 departmental report.

Ivan Lewis: None of our Public Service Agreement targets have been revised, nor further ones introduced, since the publication of the 2001 departmental report. However, employment related targets have passed to the Department for Work and Pensions following machinery of Government changes last year.

Employment and Social Policy Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the outcome was of the Employment and Social Policy Council held in Brussels on 7 March; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	I represented the UK at the Employment and Social Policy Council in Brussels on 7 March, together with the Minister of State for Employment Relations and the regions, my hon. Friend, the Member for Hull, West and Hessle (Alan Johnson).
	The main business of this council was a debate in preparation for the forthcoming European Council in Barcelona. The Spanish Presidency issued its own conclusions. The UK supported the key themes of improved co-ordination of economic and employment policy and the importance of aligning the new European employment strategy with the Lisbon goal of full employment. Member states recognised the need to integrate disadvantaged groups, particularly older workers, into the labour market to achieve this goal and acknowledged the vital role played by life long learning in achieving the Lisbon targets.
	Council also held an open debate on violence against women which formed the basis of Presidency conclusions for Barcelona. There was consensus on the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to this issue with broad agreement on the use of good practice guides and annual awareness raising campaigns at a European level. The forthcoming Danish Presidency will take forward this work in the context of the council's annual follow-up of the member states' implementation of their commitments under the Beijing Platform for Action, including discussions on the necessity for, and potential scope of, indicators in this field.
	The Presidency sought an outline position on the proposal for a directive updating the existing directive on the protection of workers from the risks of exposure to asbestos, pending the adoption by the European Parliament of its First Reading opinion. After a debate, which hinged on a proposal to include a general ban on asbestos within the directive, the dossier was remitted to COREPER for further work.
	The Council also heard a progress report on negotiations for the draft directive supplementing the proposed regulation for a Statute on a European Co-operative Society in respect of employee involvement. Work will continue on this dossier in COREPER.
	Among the other agenda items discussed, the Council approved the work programmes for the Employment Committee and the Social Protection Committee for 2002.
	The Presidency noted that the UN 2nd World Conference on Aging would be held in Madrid in April. A Commission communication will be produced as a contribution shortly.
	The Presidency reported on a series of seminars and events that have taken place since the beginning of their Presidency.
	No votes were taken at this Council.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Gipsy Sites

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce the results of the latest round of the gipsy site refurbishment grant.

Sally Keeble: 86 bids were submitted by local authorities for round 2 of the gipsy site refurbishment grant. I can today announce approval for the 57 bids. Funding for the successful bids totals £6.1 million.
	The existing network of local authority owned gipsy sites represents a valuable resource for gipsies. This injection of funding, following on from round 1 of the programme, will further help local authorities extend the useful life of sites, bring them into full use and improve the quality of life for residents.
	I have arranged for a list showing the successful and unsuccessful bids to be placed in the Library of the House.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to exempt disabled facilities grants for children from the test of resources.

Sally Keeble: We have no plans to change the present arrangements where the disabled facilities grant test of resources is applied to the person or persons responsible for a child or young person.

Liquid Petroleum Gas

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what the average cost is in the UK of a liquid petroleum gas conversion kit for vehicles;
	(2)  how many vehicles registered in the UK run on liquid petroleum gas;
	(3)  what training is (a) available and (b) required for people wishing to convert their cars to run on liquid petroleum gas using LPG conversion kits.

David Jamieson: All vehicles converted to run on LPG must comply with the requirements of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. Conversions which result in significantly reduced emissions are eligible for Government grants under the Powershift programme, which is administered by the Energy Saving Trust. To be eligible for a grant, conversions must be done by Powershift approved converters, whose competence is tested by the trust. The DTI has recently announced a new £1 million programme, called "LPG Boost", to further enhance the uptake of LPG, including grants to help additional conversion specialists undertake the technical training and meet the competencies for becoming Powershift approved converters, and so increase the network of approved converters.
	The additional cost of converting a vehicle to run on LPG is typically between £1,500 and £2,000.
	DVLA statistics record 26,694 vehicles as running on gaseous fuels. DVLA statistics do not distinguish between liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas vehicles, but most of the vehicles are LPG-fuelled cars—natural gas is used mainly in heavy goods vehicles, and the numbers are smaller. The DVLA figure is also an underestimate, since not all motorists notify DVLA of their vehicle's conversion. There are currently estimated to be around 65,000 LPG vehicles in the UK. Motorists are converting to LPG at an increasing rate, with the number expected to increase by about 35,000 for 2002 and 50,000 in 2003, prompted by the Government grants available, and the fact that low-cost LPG fuel is now available in all areas of the country.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2002, Official Report, columns 182 and 184W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from his Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case.

Alan Whitehead: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. It is the policy of the Department that thefts of computer equipment should be reported to the police. The Department also records such thefts in the Incident Reporting and Alert Scheme (UNIRAS) at the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) and encourages its agencies to do likewise.

Management Consultants

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the cost was to his Department and its predecessor of management consultants in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 2000–01.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 15 March 2002
	My Department does not hold information specifically on management consultants. To do so would incur disproportionate costs.

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Alan Whitehead: Discrimination on the grounds of age is not permitted under the Department's equal opportunities policy.

British Seafarers

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what impact (a) the Support for Maritime Training Scheme and (b) the Tonnage Tax have had on the training and employment of British seafarers, and by what performance indicators that impact is measured.

David Jamieson: Since the introduction of the Support for Maritime Training scheme (SMarT) in 1998, approximately 480 cadets a year have received training under the scheme. The forecast for the financial year 2001–02 is 500. In addition a significant of seafarers were also involved in gaining second Certificates of Competency or revalidations.
	To date, 58 groups of companies, including the 50 approved by the Inland Revenue for entry into tonnage tax, have received approval by the DTLR of their training commitments. This equates to about 508 training places.

Harbour Boards

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions by what means nominations were sought for places on harbour boards on the Isle of Wight; how many appointments he has made to such bodies since 1997; who the appointees were; and what were their terms of office.

Sally Keeble: pursuant to her reply, 14 March 2002, c. 1203W
	my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is not responsible for any appointments to harbour boards on the Isle of Wight. Vacancies on the boards of trust ports are advertised in the local and regional press.

Tonnage Tax Scheme

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the terms and conditions of foreign seafarers being switched to the red ensign under the tonnage tax scheme.

David Jamieson: For ships joining the UK Shipping Register the Maritime and Coastguard Agency checks crew agreements to ensure that they comply with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention on articles of agreement, and also comply with relevant UK Merchant Shipping legislation. Guidance is set out in Marine Guidance Note 148.

Maritime Assets

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many national maritime assets have been sold since 1997.

David Jamieson: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has disposed of 28 properties, including cottages, redundant garages and small parcels of land since 1997. The total receipts from the sales came to £500,000.

Fishing Boat Accidents

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what investigations his Department has carried out following the two fishing boat accidents in the Irish sea on 31 January and 14 February; what the results have been of those investigations; and what further action will be taken to ensure that action plans are in place in fishing ports to address similar accidents in the future.

David Jamieson: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) was informed that the first fishing vessel had had an accident on 30 January and initiated an investigation the following day. The branch became aware that the second fishing vessel was missing on 15 February and, using an inspector who happened to be in Northern Ireland at the time progressing the first investigation, initiated inquiries the same day.
	Both investigations are on-going. The MAIB aims to publish accident reports within nine months of the event. There is every expectation this will be achieved in the first accident but may well be longer in the second as there has been no sign of the missing vessel since she sailed. Without any direct evidence to explain what occurred, the investigation is likely to take longer.
	The MAIB investigates about 3 per cent. of all accidents reported to it. When the decision has been taken to carry one out, inspectors will take whatever action they consider most suitable in the circumstances. This process has stood the test of time and there are no plans to make any substantial changes to the existing arrangements. All investigations result in a report being made publicly available.
	It is not be possible to predict what recommendations will arise from the two investigations, but they will be made public.

EU State Aid

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the operation of EU state aid rules on the encouragement of national flag shipping and seafarer employment.

David Jamieson: The Government have made an assessment which will shortly be submitted to the European Commission as part of their consultation on revising the state aid guidelines.

EU State Aid

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on how EC state aid can be released to benefit regeneration initiatives in renewal areas.

Sally Keeble: Nearly £130 million of European funding has this week been awarded to large scale regeneration projects in the West Midlands with a further £33 million earmarked for projects in Staffordshire and the north Black Country, once proposals can be worked up.
	Regeneration projects—drawn up by local authorities, Advantage West Midlands and various local partners—have been clustered together into "packages", to ensure a co-ordinated, strategic approach to the regeneration of the West Midlands.
	Two of the packages—for the north Black Country/south Staffordshire and for north Staffordshire—have had £16.5 million and £16.9 million earmarked for them respectively, while RDA Advantage West Midlands and consultants working on behalf of GOWM help the partnerships get the proposals into final shape.
	Additionally, some £30 million of European funding has been approved outside the regeneration packages. This is currently under offer to enable projects to get under way.

Short Sea Shipping

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps his Department plans to take to support the United Kingdom short sea shipping sector.

David Jamieson: The Government recognise that operators in the short sea trades are at a disadvantage compared with those in the deep sea sector. They are, therefore, considering a proposal by the industry for a short sea shipping employment grant to encourage employment in the short sea sector.

Short Sea Shipping

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment has been made of the effects of introducing a short sea shipping employment grant.

David Jamieson: Ministers have considered a proposal for the introduction of short sea shipping employment grant. The parties involved have been requested to forward more information on how such a grant would help to generate more UK seafarer employment.

Crew Relief Costs

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proposals he has to extend the crew relief costs scheme.

David Jamieson: We are committed to extending the crew relief costs scheme to cover European ports. This will be implemented by legislation when parliamentary time is available.

Crew Relief Costs

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the need to extend seafarer income tax concessions and the crew relief cash scheme.

David Jamieson: Seafarer income tax concessions are a matter for the Chancellor. We are committed to extending the crew relief costs scheme to cover European ports. This will be implemented by legislation when parliamentary time is available.

Transport Grant

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what level of transport grant he had set for the Greater London Authority for 2001–02.

John Spellar: GLA transport grant is determined annually, and may be varied from time to time, after consultation with the Mayor of London under section 101 of the GLA Act 1999. The Secretary of State has today redetermined the level of grant for 2001–02 at £720,053,000. This represents an increase of £5,665,000.

Local Transport Plans

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of individual PTAs' effectiveness in consulting local communities and key stakeholders on development of the objectives and strategies of their LTPs.

Sally Keeble: Local transport plans (LTPs) for the metropolitan areas in England outside London are produced jointly between the Passenger Transport Authority and the relevant metropolitan district authorities.
	Our guidance to authorities on LTPs sets out a range of detailed criteria against which each LTP is assessed. Within the detailed criteria on objective setting and strategy development, we asked authorities for evidence that the public were fully involved in the development of the plans objectives and strategies. We also make clear in our guidance on LTP annual progress reports that authorities should report on their proposals for consultation on the detailed implementation of their LTPs.
	We are satisfied that the LTPs for all the metropolitan areas have followed the requirements of our guidance and have involved the public in both the development and implementation of their plans.

Golden Jubilee

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what initiatives he will take to influence the public to travel via mass transit into London during Her Majesty the Queen's Golden Jubilee weekend; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps will be taken to increase the operation of (a) buses, (b) trains and (c) other forms of mass transport in the week of Her Majesty the Queen's Golden Jubilee; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Government are currently discussing with public transport providers, including those providing services into London, their plans for Her Majesty the Queen's Golden Jubilee weekend. Further information will be announced nearer the time, including any advice to travellers that may be appropriate.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress London Underground Ltd. has made in addressing the safety issues the Health and Safety Executive has raised with LUL concerning their proposed railway safety case for the running of London Underground under the proposed public private partnership.

David Jamieson: I understand that the Health and Safety Executive has received London Underground Ltd.'s formal response on the issues raised. Under the safety case regime, which is an iterative process, HSE will take the time it needs to determine whether the issues have been satisfactorily closed out.

Rail Tracks

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what information the DTLR holds on the fault and repair reporting procedures in place for the various grades of rail track;
	(2)  what information the DTLR holds on the inspection procedures currently followed for the various grades of rail track.

David Jamieson: These are operational matters for Railtrack plc in Railway Administration, which remains subject to regulation by the Health and Safety Executive in respect of health and safety; and by the Rail Regulator in respect of its network operation, maintenance and renewal practices.

Rail Tracks

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the Government's responsibilities are with regard to ensuring rail track safety; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Railtrack plc (in Railway Administration), as the infrastructure dutyholder, has responsibility for ensuring track safety. The Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate secures compliance with health and safety legislation. Railtrack's network licence, issued by the Office of the Rail Regulator, requires it to use best practice in its maintenance of track safety on the network.

Railway Research

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions who is responsible for initiating railway research programmes.

David Jamieson: The Directions and Guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority issued in draft by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State in June 2001 would require the authority to "encourage and as appropriate commission research related to its purposes and objectives." We expect to issue the final version of the Directions and Guidance very shortly.

Trans European Network

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the bids, and their value submitted from Britain to the European Union since 1997 for funding as part of the Trans European Network for (a) road and (b) rail projects.

David Jamieson: Information on UK bids for funding under the trans-European Network grants regime is commercially sensitive. The attached table shows the amount of grant that has been allocated to the UK since 1997, for the improvement of road and rail infrastructure.
	
		UK TENS allocations -- euro million
		
			  1997 award 1998 award 1999 award 2000 award 2001 award Total 
		
		
			 Rail projects   
			 Channel tunnel rail link 24.000 25.000 29.500 30.000 15.000 123.500 
			 West coast main line 9.000 10.000 13.000 16.000 7.000 55.000 
			 Felixstowe to Nuneaton upgrade study and works — — — — 1.000 1.000 
			 Trans-Pennine and north Wales—improved links to Manchester airport — — — — 1.500 1.500 
			 Improved rail links to Stansted airport study — — — — 1.000 1.000 
			 Kings Cross—Heathrow airport new rail links — — — — 1.000 1.000 
			 Cross London routes study — — — — 1.000 1.000 
			 Trans-Pennine freight upgrade study — — — — 3.500 3.500 
			  
			 Total 33.000 35.000 42.500 46.000 31.000 187.500 
			  Road projects 
			 Ireland -UK-Benelux road link (Studies in England) 1.700 — — — — 1.700 
			 Traffic management studies—Wales 0.400 — — — — 0.400 
			 A75 The Glen improvement 1.300 — — — — 1.300 
			 Trans-Pennine strategic environmental assessment study 0.145 0.100 — — — 0.245 
			 RDS-TMC(2) implementation in the UK — 0.400 — — — — 
			 Telematics and traffic management on the TERN(3) — 1.000 — — — 1.000 
			 Stranraer area integrated transport package — 1.000 — — — 1.000 
			 N. Ireland—Larne to Newry studies — — — 0.500 — 0.500 
			 A120 Stansted—Braintree upgrade — — — — 5.000 5.000 
			  
			 Total 3.545 2.500 0.000 0.500 5.000 11.145 
		
	
	(2) Radio data system—traffic message channel.
	(3) Trans-European road network.

National Air Traffic Services

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 807W, if he will make a statement on financial support to National Air Traffic Services.

Stephen Byers: A short-term loan facility for National Air Traffic Services has now been agreed. It is for a maximum of £60 million over the period to 30 September 2002, £30 million of which is to be provided by the Government and the other £30 million by a group of four lending banks. Each party will lend on the same commercial terms. Its purpose is to relieve NATS' cash-flow position until arrangements are put in place to secure the long-term financial stability of the company following the unprecedented events of 11 September 2001.

Air Passenger Flights

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many civil passenger flights have taken place to and from each airport in the United Kingdom in (a) 2001 and (b) each of the preceding four years; and who the (i) owners and (ii) operators of each such airport were.

David Jamieson: Details of civil passenger flights to and from each airport in the United Kingdom in 2001 and each of the preceding four years is contained in Table A which has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	The Department does not hold information about UK airport owners and operators going back over the previous four years. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Table B, which has also been placed in the Libraries of the House, reflects our understanding of the current position, based on data compiled from a wide variety of sources.

Airports (Landing Charges)

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what landing charges (a) are imposed and (b) have been imposed in each of the preceding four years for each civil airport in the United Kingdom operated by (i) BAA and (ii) each of the other airport operators.

David Jamieson: Those airports subject to economic regulation by the Civil Aviation Authority notify CAA of the different airport charges levied at their airport. Landing charges are one of these. However, they vary for different categories of aircraft (eg by aircraft noise); by aircraft weight categories and sometimes by time of day. They may also include airport navigation charges. The resources required to process and collate the information on landing charges data for all airport operators, and in a form which would allow useful comparisons between airports, would be disproportionate and not show the level of the total airport charge.
	The revenue from airport charges is published for about 30 airports by the Centre for the study of Regulated Industries (CRI) in their statistical series "Airport Statistics". This publication also includes passenger number so it would be possible to derive the annual revenue from airport charges per passenger for these airports.

Airports (Landing Charges)

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what factors the Civil Aviation Authority is required to take account of when considering applications from airport operators for increases in landing charges.

David Jamieson: There are three categories of airport in respect of airport charges.
	Airports with more than one million passengers each year are subject to economic regulation by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and require their permission to levy charges. Below this threshold, airports are able to levy airport charges without permission. For the 'designated' airports of BAA's London airports and for Manchester airport, this permission is also subject to conditions regarding the maximum amounts that may be levied.
	For the non-designated economically regulated airports with permission to levy charges, CAA are notified of the airport charges to be levied by the airport operator but they do not play a part in determining these.
	For the designated airports of BAA's London airports and of Manchester airport, the conditions imposed by CAA are the result of an extensive process every five years to set the maximum annual airport charge for the following five years. In doing this, CAA take account of their statutory objectives listed in Section 39 of the 1986 Airports Act. This price cap has been expressed in terms of the average revenue from airport charges per passenger (revenue yield). Provided the annual airport charges set each year by the airport operator would not be expected to result in the price cap being exceeded, CAA are not involved in their determination.

English Partnerships Review

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he proposes to announce the outcome of stage one of the review of English Partnerships; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: Today we are announcing the outcome of the first stage of the current review of English Partnerships (EP), together with appointment of the new chair of the organisation.
	The new chair of English Partnerships is to be Margaret Ford. She has extensive experience in economic development and of working with Government organisations within the UK and internationally. She has particular experience of leading organisations though periods of considerable change. We are confident that Margaret Ford is the right person to lead EP into its new role.
	EP will become the Secretary of State's expert adviser on brownfield regeneration, managing a national portfolio of strategic sites, and managing demonstration projects. EP will work with national, regional and local partners, especially the RDAs, and the private sector, to identify strategic brownfield land, prioritise and facilitate its development. There is a continuing remit for EP as a national public sector body and as a vital component of the Government's programme for achieving an Urban Renaissance.
	To sharpen the organisation's focus on brownfield regeneration, we intend EP progressively to transfer their non-strategic Commission for the New Towns (CNT) landholdings to other appropriate bodies, for example the local authority.
	In the spirit of the two Green Papers we published last year setting out fundamental changes to local government and the planning system, EP will relinquish the use of their planning powers in the former new town areas, bringing control over the development of these areas under the democratic control of their local councils. This will be a staged process.
	As part of stage two of review, we want to resolve the problems that have arisen in the past from the dual statutory function of the former Urban Regeneration Agency and the Commission for the New Towns. This will give EP a common purpose and help them in taking forward their changed agenda.
	I am today placing in the Library of the House the report on stage one of the review, including the KPMG consultation report and key areas to be addressed in stage two. There is still important work to be done and we will continue to listen to and work with the widest range of interested organisations.

Brownfield Sites

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proposals he has to promote the development of brownfield sites.

Sally Keeble: The development of brownfield sites is a key priority for my Department. It underpins our policy for the revival of our towns and cities and for achieving more sustainable patterns of development.
	We are radically overhauling the planning system so it helps promote economic prosperity by delivering land for development in the right place at the right time. Our planning policy guidance for housing (PPG3) sets out an "urban brownfields first policy" as we want to conserve greenfield land.
	Planning Policy is directing private sector development towards brownfield land, and measures are in place within the development control and local plan system to ensure this. For instance, local authorities must reassess greenfield sites that have been previously identified in their local plans for development, and they must thoroughly re-appraise applications for the renewal of planning permission on such sites. Regional and local planning strategies are expected to focus new housing development where brownfield sites are available. The Department is also promoting a greater use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to assemble brownfield sites that are in multiple ownership.
	The public sector also has a direct role to play, and in this respect the Department has a Public Service Agreement target under which it aims to:
	". . Ensure that brownfield land will be reclaimed at a rate of over 1,100 hectares per annum by 2004 (reclaiming 5 per cent. of current brownfield land by 2004 and 17 per cent. by 2010)"
	The reclamation of over 1,100 hectares is specifically for the Regional Development Agencies and English Partnerships to achieve. With a forecast output of 1,200 ha for this year, they are on course to exceed it.
	Within the Corporate Planning process, an annual target for brownfield land reclamation is being agreed with each RDA. DTLR officials will be monitoring and encouraging progress.
	There are many examples of RDA involvement in the successful redevelopment of brownfield sites. For instance, the South East RDA is continuing the earlier work of English Partnerships in redeveloping the former Royal Naval Dockyard at Chatham Maritime in Kent, with a sustainable mixed development at this 140 ha site. The North West Development Agency is to develop a high quality business park in North Manchester, thereby bringing 25 ha of brownfield land back into use. Dursley and Gloucester Docks are sustainable mixed-use developments being undertaken by the South West of England RDA.
	The Government are aware that the withdrawal of the Partnership Investment Programme, and its replacement with schemes of a more limited application, has restricted RDAs and EP in their ability to use the private sector in delivering brownfield land regeneration. To improve the flexibility of Government agencies in this regard, the Government:
	Have made significant extra resources available to RDAs to take sites into public ownership and develop them directly
	Have recently notified to the European Commission a new scheme for involving the private sector in housing schemes
	Is engaged in discussions with the Commission and other member states about brownfield regeneration within the context to State Aid rules.

Housing

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2002, Official Report, column 1082W, on housing, what assessment he has made of whether Birmingham city council's assessment of likely future demand, the rate at which properties will be re-let and proposals for new build is sufficiently robust to ensure that homelessness in the city will not rise as a result of proposed demolitions.

Sally Keeble: This formed part of the assessment of Birmingham city council's application for a place on the housing transfer programme.

Subsidence (London)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the threat to buildings and subterranean structures in London posed by sinking ground levels.

Sally Keeble: The intensity of subsidence reported in the press is very minor and is unlikely to cause damage. It is several orders of magnitude less than that experienced in the coalfields and damage is much more likely to occur from shrinking and swelling of clay subsoils in London than from subsidence at the level reported.
	Subsidence from tunnelling operations is well known and it is taken into account in the design of tunnelling operations. Where necessary, such operations include mitigation measures to reduce the effects of subsidence to below the level likely to cause damage. The levels reported from the Jubilee Line extension are consistent with those recorded by monitoring subsidence during and after construction.

Right to Buy

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place in the Library copies of the responses to the Housing Green Paper "Quality and Choice: A Decent Home For All" that made reference to the right to buy.

Sally Keeble: Details of responses to the Housing Green Paper are set out in "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all. Summary of Responses". This is already available in the Library or can be freely downloaded from the DTLR website at the following address: http:// www.housing.dtlr.gov.uk/information/consult/responses/ summary/pdf/greenpap.pdf.
	168 responses made reference to the right to buy. Arrangements are being made for copies of these responses to be collated and placed in the Library, except where the authors requested that their comments should not be released.

Right to Buy

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many former local authority properties sold to tenants under the right to buy scheme have subsequently been bought back by those local authorities in each Government Office region (a) in each year since 1980 and (b) in each quarter since April 1999.

Sally Keeble: Information reported to the Department on the repurchase of ex-council properties is presented as follows. Information prior to 1995–96 was not collected centrally.
	
		Local authority dwellings repurchased by local authorities—Exchange sales scheme
		
			  1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 
		
		
			 Government office region — — — — 
			 North East 0 0 0 0 
			 North West 0 0 0 0 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 0 0 0 0 
			 East Midlands 0 0 0 0 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 
			 East 0 0 0 0 
			 London 0 2 7 1 
			 South East 0 0 0 0 
			 South West 0 0 0 0 
			 England 0 2 7 1 
		
	
	
		Local Authority dwellings repurchased by local authorities—Buyback scheme
		
			  1998–99 April to June 1999 July to September 1999 October to December 1999 January to March 2000 
		
		
			 Government office region — — — — — 
			 North East 8 5 2 1 0 
			 North West 9 4 1 0 5 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 26 2 1 12 4 
			 East Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Midlands 3 0 0 0 5 
			 East 10 3 0 0 8 
			 London 15 4 3 3 5 
			 South East 15 5 1 13 2 
			 South West 14 0 2 3 7 
			 England 100 23 10 32 36 
		
	
	
		Local Authority dwellings repurchased by local authorities
		
			  April to June 2000 July to September 2000 October to December 2000 January to March 2001 April to June 2001 July to September 2001 
		
		
			 Government office region — — — — — — 
			 North East 0 0 1 20 1 1 
			 North West 0 1 4 0 0 1 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 28 9 37 20 1 13 
			 East Midlands 0 0 0 2 1 1 
			 West Midlands 1 1 0 14 0 4 
			 East 1 24 2 2 0 0 
			 London 3 4 7 9 8 15 
			 South East 3 10 5 5 7 3 
			 South West 0 2 5 1 1 1 
			 England 36 51 61 73 19 39

Right to Buy

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Local Authorities (Capital Finance) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 501) in encouraging local authorities to buy back properties previously sold to tenants under the right to buy scheme.

Sally Keeble: The incentive is voluntary, and involves agreement being reached between landlords and owners/ leaseholders. We are monitoring the use made by local authorities of the incentive offered by these regulations. Our figures indicate that last year (2000–01) local authorities in England bought back just over 200 properties.

Right to Buy

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information his Department has collated on the number of ex-local authority properties in London in which the leaseholder is a tenant who originally purchased the lease under the right to buy scheme.

Sally Keeble: The Department does not collect this information on its regular statistical returns. However, results derived from the 2000–01 Survey of English Housing indicate that some 62,000 householders in flats in London had purchased their present property since 1981 under the right to buy scheme from the local authority.

A303

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the timetable is for the laying of orders, planning procedures and construction in respect of the A303 (T) relating to (a) Winterbourne Stoke Bypass, (b) the Amesbury to Berwick Down improvement scheme, (c) the Countess Roundabout flyover and Stonehenge Visitors Centre access and (d) the Folly Bottom interchange.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency is planning to publish draft orders for the A303 Stonehenge Improvement in December 2002. This scheme, formerly known as the Amesbury to Berwick Down Improvement, incorporates a bypass of Winterbourne Stoke and a flyover at Countess Roundabout. Subject to the making of statutory orders, it is intended that construction will start in the spring of 2005.
	The agency proposes to publish the made orders for the Folly Bottom interchange in April 2002. Preliminary works are expected to start in June 2002 and the main works in September 2002.
	The Stonehenge Visitors Centre is the responsibility of English Heritage who will in due course be discussing access arrangements with the Highways Agency.

M42

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the concrete sections of the M42 will be covered with low noise road surfacing.

David Jamieson: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Mr. Tim Matthews to Mr. Brian Jenkins, dated 20 March 2002
	The Transport Minister, David Jamieson has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about resurfacing the concrete sections of the M42 with low noise material.
	There are three remaining lengths of concrete surfacing on the M42: junctions 2 to 3A, junctions 9 to 10 and junctions 3A to 4.
	The Government's Ten Year Plan for Transport said that all concrete roads would be resurfaced with quieter surfacing materials by 2010 and in line with that we aim to resurface the road between Junctions 2 and 3A early in 2003 and between 9 and 10 in 2004/05.
	Resurfacing the road between junctions 3A and 4 will be done after we have introduced the Active Traffic Management Project in 2004. I am afraid I cannot give you a precise date.
	If you would like any further information, the Agency's Route Manager for the M42, David Nock, would be pleased to help. He can be contacted at the Agency's office at Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham, B15 1BL or by telephone on 0121 678 8362.

Buses

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what regulations there are on the installation of (a) radio, (b) alarm and (c) CCTV systems into buses;
	(2)  what steps is he taking to prevent assaults against bus crews on public services; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what guidance is given to bus operators on offering employees professional counselling after they have suffered work-related violence;
	(4)  what requirements are placed on bus operators to keep in good order bus radio and alarm systems;
	(5)  what guidance he has issued on risk assessments to be carried out by bus operators on the risk of violence to bus crews.

Sally Keeble: The Secretary of State will shortly issue guidance to bus operators and other interested parties on reducing crime against passengers and crew, on buses and at stops and interchanges. This will update existing guidance on protecting bus crews and guidelines to operators on personal security on public transport. The new guidance will include advice on the installation, maintenance and repair of on-board equipment, which could help prevent crime. Professional counselling of employees is a matter for the operating companies.

Mobile Phones

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures he plans to take to encourage greater awareness among the motoring public of the dangers of using mobile phones when driving.

David Jamieson: To reinforce the message in the Highway Code, the Department is currently preparing new publicity to be launched this spring, as part of its "Think!" campaign, to raise awareness of the dangers of using mobile phones when driving.

Mobile Phones

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he plans to review the legislative framework regarding the use of mobile phones when driving.

David Jamieson: The Government are satisfied that current legislation provides the police with sufficient powers to enable them to prosecute irresponsible drivers. However, in accordance with our Road Safety Strategy "Tomorrow's roads—safer for everyone", we will keep the need for new legislation under review.

Mobile Phones

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the dangers relating to driving when using (a) hand-held and (b) hands-free mobile phones;
	(2)  what research his Department is undertaking into the dangers relating to the use of mobile phones when driving.

David Jamieson: The Department is satisfied that there is clear evidence of an increased risk of an accident when using any type of mobile phone while driving. International research has established that the increased risk of an accident arises from the distracting effects of holding a telephone conversation rather than from just driving with one hand on the wheel. Further research, commissioned within the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme towards the end of last year, is under way to measure the distraction from hands-free phones in comparison to other common driver distractions such as talking with passengers or tuning the radio.

BAC Limit

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to change the legal BAC limit for motorists.

David Jamieson: There are no plans to make a change in the foreseeable future. The limit will stay at 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The Government consulted on this in 1998 and waited upon proposals from Europe before considering the matter further. No firm legislation was forthcoming from the European Union although the European Commission produced a Recommendation which, among other measures, recommended community wide harmonisation of the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for motorists at 50mg. We have now considered whether it would be desirable to make such a change and concluded that we should maintain emphasis on enforcement and publicity. In reaching this decision the Government were mindful of the fact that our penalties are among the toughest in Europe. But we remain committed to combating drink-driving and support more research and collaboration at a European level.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Criminal Damage

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost has been of criminal damage to her Department's buildings in each of the last four years.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department does not keep a separate record of the cost of criminal damage to its buildings. The information requested could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last met (a) the President and (b) the UK Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Patricia Hewitt: I have had no meetings with the President or UK Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Post Office

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers she has to extend the Postcomm consultation on the opening of bulk mail delivery to competition beyond 15 March; and what the policies of other European Union member states are on the opening of bulk mail delivery to competition.

Douglas Alexander: The timetable for Postcomm's consultation on its document proposals for effective competition in UK postal services is a matter for Postcomm. On 13 March Postcomm announced that it had decided to extend—to Friday 12 April—the date for comments on its proposals.
	The policies of other EU member states on market opening are a matter for them, providing they are acting in accordance with EU legislation.

Small Business Service

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry following the recommendation of the Small Business Council report, what plans the Government have for the reallocation of resources (a) to and (b) within the Small Business Service.

Nigel Griffiths: The Government, in their 2002 Spending Review will consider the level of resources, and broad internal allocation, for the SBS for the period from April 2003 to March 2006. The Spending Review will be informed by the Government's review of services for small business. The allocation of resources within the SBS for 2002–03 is being considered as the Business Plan for this year is developed.

Timber

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the companies from which her Department has obtained timber and wood products and the total spent with each firm over the last five years.

Patricia Hewitt: All Departmental furniture is currently purchased through suppliers approved by the Office of Government Commerce. As part of their service level agreement with my Department the OGC undertake that all their approved suppliers comply with all relevant public procurement regulations and directives. More detailed information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Non-Governmental Organisations

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 8 March 2002, Official Report, column 592W, what information she collates on the funding of non-Governmental organisations by her Department, with particular reference to those operating on a regional basis; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department does not hold information centrally on the amount of funding it provides to the charitable or voluntary sectors by region.
	Overall information on Government funding of the voluntary sector can be found in the Home Office research publication "Central Government Funding of Voluntary and Community Organisations 1982–83 to 1999–2000", copies of which are in the Libraries of the House. This includes information on the proportion of that funding provided by my Department.

Patent Office

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets she has set the Patent Office, for 2002–03.

Melanie Johnson: I have set the Patent Office the following targets for 2002–03:
	Patents
	1. To increase performance year on year so that 90 per cent. of search reports are issued within six months of request by 2005–06.
	2. To grant 90 per cent. of patents within three years of request.
	Designs
	3. To register 90 per cent. of correctly filed design applications, to which no substantive objections have been raised, within three months of the date of application.
	Trade Marks
	4. To register 90 per cent. of processed trade mark class applications, to which no substantive objections are raised or oppositions filed within nine months of application.
	5. To reduce to an average of 39 weeks the time taken to issue a decision in trade mark inter partes cases once the case is ready.
	Policy
	6. To publish details of progress towards key milestones in UK and international policy development in the annual report and on our website.
	Efficiency Targets
	7. To increase output in relation to current expenditure by an average of at least 2 per cent. per annum over the period 1998–99 to 2002–03.
	In addition to these key targets:
	Customer Service Standards
	To meet our customer service standards as shown in the annual report and on our website at www.patent.gov.uk
	Finance
	The Office will pay 100 per cent. of bills within 30 days of receipt of goods or services or a valid invoice, whichever is the later.
	Questions delegated to the Chief Executive
	The Chief Executive will reply within 10 working days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to her for reply.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 24 January 2002, Official Report, column 1071W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from her Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case.

Patricia Hewitt: The following table identifies whether the IT equipment identified as stolen from my Department in my previous answer was new or used. In addition and where known, the table also shows the nature of the data held on the stolen equipment.
	
		
			 Date Description New/used Data status 
		
		
			 1997
			 20 May Laptop Used Powerpoint presentation 
			 22 May Laptop Used Notes of meetings 
			 6 June Laptop Used Routine data 
			 16 June Laptop Used Routine notes 
			 21 August Modem Used Device does not store data 
			 2 September Modem Used Device does not store data 
			 27 September Laptop Used Non DTI equipment 
			 14 November Network analyser Used Non DTI equipment 
			 8 December Laptop Used Routine data 
			 18 December Psion Used Routine data 
			 
			 1998
			 9 January Monitor Used Device does not store data 
			 19 January PC base unit Used No DTI data 
			 10 February Laptop New Unused—no DTI data 
			 31 March PC base unit Used No DTI data 
			 1 May Server(4) Used Device does not store data; merely holds list of IP addresses in volatile memory 
			 13 May 2 printers Used Devices do not store data 
			 9 June Laptop, printer Used No DTI data on laptop—printer does not store data 
			 9 October Laptop used Restricted data 
			 13 November Laptop Used No DTI data 
			 
			 1999
			 23 February Laptop Used No DTI data 
			 16 March Laptop New Unused—no DTI data 
			 22 March Printer Used Device does not store data 
			 24 June PC Used No protectively marked data 
			 8 July Psion Used Name and address 
			 10 August PC New Unused—no DTI data 
			 21 October Laptop Used Non DTI equipment 
			 1 November Laptop Used Non DTI equipment 
			 3 November Modem Used Device does not store data 
			 29 November Ethernet hub Used Device does not store data 
			 13 December PC New Unused—no DTI data 
			 
			 2000
			 10 January Laptop Used Non DTI equipment 
			 26 July 2 laptops Used Non DTI equipment 
			 14 March Laptop Used Non DTI equipment 
			 10 December Flat screen Used Device does not store data 
			 21 December Flat screen Used Device does not store data 
			 27 December Flat screen Used Device does not store data 
		
	
	(4) The "server" was a PAC server. This device acts as an interface for web based browsing and held a look-up list of users who were permitted internet access in non-permanent memory (with a 24 hour back-up battery).
	
		
			 Unitas report for 1 April 2001 to January 2002  New/used  Data status 
		
		
			 5 MURA laptops 3 new No DTI data 
			  1 used Test system; no live data present 
			  1 used Data encrypted including temporary work areas 
			
			 1 other laptop — Non DTI equipment 
			
			 3 PCs 2 new No DTI data 
			  1 used No DTI data stored locally; all held on servers 
			
			 Flat screen Used Device does not store data 
		
	
	Where the equipment is shown as not belonging to DTI, it would have held software and data belonging to the owning company rather than DTI.

Scientific and Engineering Institutions

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to review her Department's funding support to the scientific and engineering learned institutions; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 19 March 2002
	My Department provides an annual grant in aid to both the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering from the science budget, mainly for fellowships and international exchanges. This funding is reviewed, together with the other components of the science budget, at each Government Spending Review.
	My officials also meet the Executive Secretaries and other members of staff of each body approximately quarterly to review progress in respect of grant in aid funded programmes, and to discuss other matters of common interest.
	Broadly comparable arrangements cover funding to other learned societies from the Research Councils. However, the sums involved are small, and do not come directly through the science budget. Examples of these would include the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society of Chemistry, which receive funds from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for workshops, summer schools, and conferences.
	My Department is also considering a programme of support for funding projects to be undertaken by the Engineering and Technology Board.

Engineers

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many chartered engineers there are in her Department; and what grade they hold.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 19 March 2002
	The number of chartered engineers recorded on the Department's personnel database is listed by grade in the table.
	
		
			 Range Number 
		
		
			 Senior civil service 1 
			 Range 11 3 
			 Range 10 10 
			 Range 9 3 
		
	
	The figures do not include any chartered engineers who may be working in the Department who are not currently in the database. This includes staff in the Construction Industry Directorate whose full records have yet to be transferred from their previous Department.

UK Exporters (North and Central America)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many inquiries were dealt with from potential United Kingdom exporters by the trade desks at United Kingdom embassies in (a) the USA, (b) Canada and (c) Mexico in the last 12 months.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 11 March 2002
	Overseas posts in the USA, Canada and Mexico do not record information on the number of initial inquiries for their markets from potential British exporters. However a new information system will record such information in future.

Individual Voluntary Arrangements

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many individual voluntary arrangements commenced in 2001.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 19 March 2002
	There were 6,298 individual voluntary arrangements commenced in 2001.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Public-private Partnerships (Consultants)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total external spending by her Department was on public-private partnership consultants in each of the last four years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by her Department over this period; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID has engaged consultants to help on the public-private partnership with the Commonwealth Development Corporation. Annual spending and the number of consultancy firms are given in the table. The other information requested is not obtainable without disproportionate effort.
	
		£ 
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02(5) Total 
		
		
			 Legal advice (two firms) 9,867 650,029 169,398 210,348 81,542 1,121,184 
			 Financial advice (one firm) — 702,851 452,050 354,681 152,750 1,662,332 
			 Tax advice (one firm) — 75,788 93,888 121,495 86,833 378,004 
			 Accountancy advice (one firm) — — — 100,815 — 100,815 
			  
			 Totals (five firms) 9,867 1,428,668 715,336 787,339 321,125 3,262,335 
		
	
	(5) Provisional

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons she has decided not to grant debt relief under the Commonwealth Debt Initiative to Belize; when this decision was taken; for what reasons Belize has not met the criteria under the Commonwealth Debt Initiative; if she has scheduled further discussions between her Department and the Government of Belize on this issue; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Belize was considered for CDI under the three basic CDI criteria—commitment to pro-poor policies, promotion of responsive and accountable government; and application of macro-economic policies to encourage sustainable development. Although some progress had been made in implementing commitments in relation to the first two criteria, on the third criterion my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development shared the concerns set out in the IMF Article IV report from April 2001, particularly in terms of significant increases in external commercial debt levels and the widening public sector deficit. Against this background she concluded that Belize had not fulfilled the CDI criteria. There is provision for a further review later this year.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence sent by her Department on 26 June 2001 to KPMG on its study commissioned by her Department of the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the reply from KPMG.

Hilary Benn: There was no correspondence. The exchange between DFID and KPMG referred to in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development's earlier answer took place on the telephone.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what dates since 3 August 2001 officials from her Department have held meetings with the Government of Belize to discuss the issue of Commonwealth Debt Initiative and the effect of tax exemptions and public investment companies on pro-poor programmes.

Hilary Benn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development met with Prime Minister Musa in October 2001 as referred to in her reply to question 29276. DFID officials also met with Prime Minister Musa and Minister Fonesca in November 2001. A range of issues, including CDI, were discussed on both occasions.

HIV/AIDS (Africa)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to increase spending on tackling HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Hilary Benn: DFID spent over £55 million in Africa on HIV/AIDS programmes and related health systems strengthening in the financial year 2000–01.
	So far this year (2001–02), we have committed an additional £180 million to tackle HIV/AIDS in Africa. A further $200 million (£140 million approximately) has been pledged by the UK to the Global Health Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, of which half is expected to be spent on HIV/AIDS work.

HIV/AIDS (Africa)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money her Department is spending on tackling HIV/AIDS in each country in Africa.

Hilary Benn: The table shows the amount of money spent by DFID on HIV/AIDS in Africa in 2000–01, and the level of additional commitment for 2001–02, broken down by country.
	
		HIV/AIDS spend (pounds sterling)—includes health systems strengthening and reproductive health programme spend -- £000
		
			 Country Total spent 2000–01 Additional projects 2001–02 
		
		
			 Africa regional 1,782 23,898 
			 Angola 106 — 
			 Central Africa regional 62 — 
			 Congo, Democratic Republic — 379 
			 Ethiopia 183 300 
			 Ghana 112 25,000 
			 Kenya 678 3,509 
			 Malawi 4,609 29,835 
			 Mali 25 — 
			 Mozambique 6,395 12,739 
			 Namibia 31 — 
			 Nigeria 653 52,959 
			 Rwanda — 3,000 
			 Senegal — 250 
			 Sierra Leone 306 1,850 
			 Somali Democratic Republic 5 — 
			 South Africa, Republic of 2,803 15,218 
			 Southern Africa 15 — 
			 Southern Africa Development Coordination Committee 594 600 
			 Swaziland 72 — 
			 Tanzania 4,647 — 
			 Togo 173 — 
			 Uganda 324 686 
			 Zambia 28,219 169 
			 Zimbabwe 3,298 12,915 
			  
			 Total 55,092 183,307 
		
	
	These figures represent direct project/programme costs and do not include our financial support to NGOs and international institutions such as UNAIDS and WHO, in support of HIV/AIDS work across Africa.

Health Strategies

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of intervention strategies in reducing maternal mortality and morbidity in developing countries.

Hilary Benn: Making an effective contribution to the Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality by three quarters between 1990 and 2015 is a key objective in my Department's Public Service Agreement.
	WHO are the lead international agency and we are supporting their work to determine the most successful and cost-effective safe motherhood packages. DFID is funding research designed to identify the most effective interventions to help reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in the developing world, including trials of vitamin A supplementation and magnesium sulphate for pre-eclampsia. We are also looking to draw lessons from the large safer motherhood programmes we support in Nepal, Malawi, Kenya, Pakistan and Bolivia.
	Evidence to date indicates that increasing and sustaining the quality of midwifery and obstetric services is very likely to result in reduced maternal mortality. Evidence also shows that strengthening health systems is also a key prerequisite for improving safe motherhood. DFID has committed over £1 billion to this work since 1997.

Health Strategies

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she takes to (a) analyse the methods and policies by which low income countries achieve good health outcomes in life expectancy and child mortality and (b) use these countries and the methodology they apply to health policy when formulating health strategies for other developing countries.

Hilary Benn: DFID attaches great importance to learning and sharing lessons form successful strategies in developing countries to improve health, particularly of the poor. DFID's ability to feed country experience into international policy making, using our network of in-country health experts, is widely recognised as one of its institutional strengths. We are further contributing to the international effort by:
	strengthening WHO's capacity to draw upon country level experience, in order to set standards and disseminate best practice;
	supporting knowledge programmes which examine the effectiveness of interventions and disseminate best practice; and
	supporting the recent work of the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, which has assessed the global evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve health.
	Lessons learned as a result of these efforts are used to help developing countries develop and refine their own multi-sectoral national programmes and plans for better health and poverty reduction. This is increasingly done in the context of Sector Wide Approaches and Poverty Reduction Strategies.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

CERRIE

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will list the members of the Working Group established to take forward the Consultative Exercise on Radiation Risk from Interval Emitters; what the remit of CERRIE is; what resources are available to support CERRIE's work; and whether CERRIE meetings are held in public;
	(2)  when she expects to reply to written question 15575 on the establishment of CERRIE.

Michael Meacher: The membership of the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters (CERRIE), set up under the auspices of the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE), has recently been finalized and is:
	Chairman:
	Professor Dudley Goodhead, MRC Radiation and Genome Stability Unit
	Members:
	Mr. Richard Bramhall, The Low Level Radiation Campaign
	Dr. Chris Busby, Green Audit
	Dr. Roger Cox, National Radiological Protection Board
	Dr. Philip Day, University of Manchester
	Professor Sarah Darby, ICRF Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford
	Dr. John Harrison, National Radiological Protection Board
	Dr. Colin Muirhead, National Radiological Protection Board
	Mr. Pete Roche, Greenpeace UK
	Professor Jack Simmons, University of Westminster
	Dr. Richard Wakeford, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.
	Professor Eric Wright, Ninewells Medical School, Dundee.
	The Chairman of COMARE, Professor Bryn Bridges, will attend the meetings as an observer, as will officials from the Department of Health and DEFRA.
	The remit of CERRIE is, "To consider the present risk models for radiation and health that apply to exposure to radiation from internal radionuclides in the light of recent studies and any further research that might be needed."
	Consultants have been appointed to provide CERRIE with an independent secretariat. Other resources, such as accommodation etc, will be provided by the two sponsoring Departments, DEFRA and DH.
	CERRIE's meetings are not held in public.

Environment Agency

Chris Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made towards the completion of the first five-yearly Financial, Management and Policy Review of the Environment Agency.

Michael Meacher: I am pleased to announce that the Department is today publishing the second and final stage of this review.
	The findings of the review establish a basis for a new and strategic relationship between the Agency and its Sponsors; more effective business planning and performance review; a sharpening of efficiency; and a wide range of actions by both the Agency and its Sponsors towards the improved delivery of environmental functions.
	A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

Easter Eggs

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the confectionery manufacturing industry regarding the amount of packaging waste generated by Easter eggs; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 14 March 2001
	None. The requirements of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended) apply to all packaging. The incentives to minimise and reuse packaging and the targets set for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste apply throughout the year.

Sellafield

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what dates, and where, (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have met the Irish Government to discuss the British Nuclear Fuels plant at Sellafield since 5 October 2001; and which Ministers and which Irish Government departments were involved in each meeting.

Margaret Beckett: Ministers and officials have been involved in a number of meetings since 5 October with Irish Ministers and officials at which the British Nuclear Fuel Plant at Sellafield was discussed, either as the main subject of the meeting, or as part of a wider agenda. The meetings, venues, and participants, were as follows:
	Ministers
	25 February 2002—British Irish Council meeting (Edinburgh, Scotland)—Michael Meacher, (Minister for the Environment) (Chair), Noel Dempsey TD (Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Ireland), and Joe Jacob TD (Minister of State, Department of Public Enterprise, Ireland)—plus Ministers from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey. 4 March 2002—Environment Council (Brussels, Belgium)—Margaret Beckett, (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Michael Meacher, (Minister for the Environment), Noel Dempsey TD (Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Ireland).
	Officials
	5 October 2001—OSPAR Arbitration meeting (London)—DEFRA, Other Government Departments, and Department of Public Enterprise (Ireland)
	19 and 20 November—International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Hearing (Hamburg, Germany)—DEFRA, Other Government Departments, Department of Public Enterprise (Ireland) and Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (Ireland)
	11 December 2001—Compliance with ITLOS Provisional Measures (Dublin, Ireland)—DEFRA, Other Government Departments, and Department of Public Enterprise (Ireland) and Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland.
	7 February 2002—British Irish Council pre-meeting (London)—DEFRA, Devolved Administrations, Department of Public Enterprise (Ireland), Isle of Man Government
	15 February 2002—UK Ireland Contact Group on Radioactivity (London)—DEFRA, Other Government Departments, Devolved Administrations, Department of Public Enterprise (Ireland), Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (Ireland), and the Isle of Man Government. This particular group of officials meets every six months.
	15 February 2002—Discussion of draft Irish/Isle of Man paper on "Sellafield and Radioactive Waste" (London)—DEFRA, Other Government Departments, Devolved Administrations, Department of Public Enterprise (Ireland), Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, and the Isle of Man Government.

Radioactive Waste (Irish Sea)

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what amount of radioactive waste was discharged into the Irish Sea, broken down between each radionuclide, in each year since 1979.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 22 January 2002
	Annual radioactive discharge data, for nuclear sites in the UK, for the years in question, are contained in the following Government reports:
	Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report, Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles, MAFF. Annual Report, 1977–94
	Radioactivity in Food and the Environment, Food Standards Agency and Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Annual publication, 1995–2001.
	Copies of these publications can be found in the Library of the House.
	Data, in the form requested, from these reports (updated and amplified from other sources for certain years and radionuclides) are reproduced in the tables, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. The timespans over which radionuclides have been measured at different contributory nuclear sites varies depending upon the discharge authorisations issued by the relevant UK regulator.
	Copies of these publications can be found in the Library of the House.
	Data, in the form requested, from these reports (updated and amplified from other sources for certain years and radionuclides) are reproduced in the tables. The timespans over which radionuclides have been measured at different contributory nuclear sites varies depending upon the discharge authorisations issued by the relevant UK regulator.

Fluoride

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from which countries the UK imports fluoride.

Nigel Griffiths: I have been asked to reply.
	According to information compiled by HM Customs and Excise, UK imported fluorides 1 from Germany, Spain, Sweden, Canada, Belgium, France, Japan, Italy, China, Netherlands, Brazil, India, Hong Kong, Irish Republic, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Norway and South Korea.
	Note:
	1 Fluorides are defined by codes 282611, 282612 and 282619 of the Harmonised System.

Illegal Meat Imports

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what has been the role of her Department in checks on illegal meat imports at coastal ports in the last two years.

Margaret Beckett: The responsibility for sea ports lies with the local/port-health authority and not with DEFRA. Although we do have a presence in most ports and offer advice and support to the local authorities, it is their function to quality assure legitimate trade and to identify illegal imports.
	I am chairing a high level forum on Thursday 21 March 2002 involving all stakeholders, to consider the next steps for intensifying our efforts and to agree further priorities and action. A number of other Government Departments and agencies plus the enforcement bodies will be participating.

Illegal Meat Imports

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 12 March, ref. 38842, on which dates members of the State Veterinary Service were involved in joint exercises at Heathrow.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 18 March 2002
	Since April 2001, members of the State Veterinary Service have been involved in nine joint exercises at Heathrow. Dates include the 8, 15 and 29 April, 24 June, 30 October, 9 November 2001 and 12, 14 and 17 February 2002.

Winter Wheat/Winter Barley

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the total amount of sowings of (a) winter wheat and (b) winter barley for the year ending 2001; and what the comparable figures were for 2000.

Elliot Morley: The December 2001 survey of agriculture results for England were published on 7 March 2002 in DEFRA Statistics News Release 11/02 and are available on the DEFRA website at www.defra.gov.uk. Estimates for the areas of wheat and barley sown by 3 December 2001 are detailed in the table together with comparable figures for December 2000.
	
		thousand hectares 
		
			   1 December 2000 3 December 2001 Percentage change(6) December 2001–December 2000 
		
		
			 Wheat sown by survey date 1,271 1,868 +47.0 
			 Barley sown by survey date 390 486 +24.4 
		
	
	(6) Based on unrounded figures.
	Notes:
	1. Includes estimates for minor holdings.
	2. For 2000, areas sown by 1 December were affected by poor drilling conditions caused by wet weather.
	* Based on unrounded figures

Fish Quotas (Shetland and Orkney)

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total amount expended by the Shetland and Orkney Islands councils annually for the purchase of fish quotas was from 1995 to 2002.

Elliot Morley: I understand no moneys have been expended by the Shetland Islands council on the purchase of fish quotas but that £2 million was spent on quota purchase in 1998 by Shetland Leasing and Property Ltd. (SLAP), using moneys lent by Shetland Development Trust, and the Orkney Islands council spent £1.5 million in 1999.

Beam Trawling

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the restrictions are on the frequency with which a seabed may be beam trawled; and how such restrictions are enforced.

Elliot Morley: There are no restrictions on the frequency with which a seabed may be beam trawled.
	Large beam trawls are prohibited within 12 miles of the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland under EC Fisheries Technical Regulations. Further restrictions have been placed on the use of beam trawlers by some of the 12 Sea Fisheries Committees who are responsible for managing fishing in the 0-six mile zone around England and Wales.

Quarantine Kennels

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will introduce statutory standards for animal quarantine kennels.

Elliot Morley: Under the Animal Health Act 1981 and the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974 (as amended) animal quarantine kennels are regulated with regard to disease security and isolation. There are standard requirements for the design, construction, operation and management of authorised quarantine premises, and it is the responsibility of the Veterinary Superintendent of the premises to ensure that these standards are met, and also to ensure the safe custody and strict isolation of each animal throughout its period of quarantine.
	Currently, all approved quarantine premises have undertaken to abide by a Voluntary Code of Practice on the Welfare of Dogs and Cats in Quarantine Premises. But we are determined to improve the welfare standards of animals in quarantine. The Animal Health (Amendment) Act 1998 gives us the power to set statutory welfare standards in quarantine premises. In 2000 we consulted on a draft order which contained, among other things, such statutory welfare standards.
	Work on the draft order was suspended during 2001 due to foot and mouth disease. We hope to introduce the legislation later this year.

Agrimonetary Compensation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 8 January 2002, Official Report, column 741W, on agrimonetary compensation, how much compensation has been paid to each county in each year since 1997.

Elliot Morley: The table sets out agrimonetary expenditure between 1997 and 2001, at county level.
	
		£ 
		
			   1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Avon 46,582.90 613,088.12 422,405.20 1,830,896.78 1,924,263.55 
			 Bedfordshire 25,290.49 293,235.94 206,457.71 3,839,765.31 1,259,794.09 
			 Berkshire 28,809.38 400,592.56 260,462.17 2,511,894.50 1,178,826.26 
			 Buckinghamshire 100,094.62 1,255,101.58 853,874.65 4,388,599.35 2,092,800.55 
			 Cambridgeshire 23,892.00 551,524.65 246,919.03 10,820,475.59 3,058,492.15 
			 Cheshire 103,980.30 593,821.65 442,161.92 3,384,855.17 5,352,276.59 
			 Cleveland 19,357.65 240,278.79 179,040.27 1,048,734.42 631,118.43 
			 Cornwall 312,282.84 4,295,307.33 2,742,830.25 6,739,851.65 6,119,660.05 
			 Cumbria 1,581,523.72 11,521,556.80 11,466,448.01 12,384,974.29 12,339,555.73 
			 Derbyshire 254,718.03 2,502,485.44 1,905,839.31 4,463,025.68 4,020,015.53 
			 Devonshire 962,388.98 9,361,751.91 7,646,831.69 13,638,895.19 12,607,153.67 
			 Dorset 104,554.91 1,135,612.92 911,914.98 5,044,705.36 4,203,644.04 
			 Durham 365,091.13 3,383,218.90 2,707,639.08 5,051,444.27 3,048,254.02 
			 East Sussex 137,904.52 1,252,188.03 1,093,737.33 3,068,280.67 1,777,719.86 
			 Essex 33,215.82 478,784.80 279,345.86 10,755,207.25 3,281,451.08 
			 Gloucestershire 178,772.97 1,873,157.21 1,501,465.61 6,659,059.08 3,600,129.59 
			 Greater London 704.01 73,983.78 13,022.03 288,208.92 125,517.66 
			 Greater Manchester 41,634.29 356,106.11 163,950.72 630,903.23 531,791.45 
			 Hampshire 70,985.24 1,146,950.89 579,784.76 7,306,807.10 2,956,214.06 
			 Hereford and Worcester 568,266.71 4,796,637.65 4,390,840.36 9,734,386.41 5,869,263.64 
			 Hertfordshire 19,930.95 408,442.43 175,598.11 4,001,736.34 1,354,289.14 
			 Humberside 59,690.26 1,105,624.06 560,294.56 11,029,835.20 3,054,684.10 
			 Isle of Wight 15,821.16 228,109.70 130,355.30 720,196.43 405,029.93 
			 Kent 241,348.70 1,902,805.26 1,730,036.63 8,406,074.77 3,094,404.04 
			 Lancashire 447,736.02 3,228,481.79 3,326,149.41 4,744,869.02 5,548,309.02 
			 Leicestershire 167,956.70 1,632,267.42 1,391,865.92 7,598,278.46 3,927,548.61 
			 Lincolnshire 101,037.07 1,775,789.62 892,910.26 19,312,091.10 6,052,915.42 
			 Merseyside 2,935.16 51,534.61 23,059.98 549,660.68 287,127.35 
			 Norfolk 70,955.48 1,510,377.40 656,988.66 12,750,388.93 4,465,805.66 
			 North Yorkshire 1,098,985.24 8,681,985.38 8,255,463.12 19,806,227.51 11,203,839.86 
			 Northamptonshire 170,684.41 1,600,108.65 1,385,136.16 8,059,386.46 3,058,931.74 
			 Northumberland 879,434.05 8,336,908.10 6,586,422.68 10,900,145.61 6,227,342.15 
			 Nottinghamshire 43,231.52 629,141.42 387,537.85 5,903,619.88 1,537,998.45 
			 Oxfordshire 94,797.97 1,162,121.82 800,669.71 8,022,062.71 3,250,752.69 
			 Scilly Isles 0.00 1,508.47 238.26 632.36 712.97 
			 Shropshire 450,045.29 2,589,329.24 2,091,822.20 8,370,680.73 6,652,592.24 
			 Somerset 331,143.35 3,305,963.81 2,585,044.47 6,620,751.59 6,560,058.18 
			 South Yorkshire 40,175.04 595,423.53 344,468.63 2,849,217.26 1,361,540.11 
			 Staffordshire 134,429.01 1,140,809.91 752,202.20 4,594,325.61 4,218,938.86 
			 Suffolk 33,567.51 695,129.84 344,544.71 10,444,578.42 3,379,338.28 
			 Surrey 30,549.37 543,349.49 259,523.94 1,245,831.43 815,929.17 
			 Tyne and Wear 3,740.64 152,949.68 64,707.76 609,647.24 298,146.66 
			 Warwickshire 147,950.13 1,318,825.80 1,199,911.67 5,662,022.73 2,480,183.29 
			 West Midlands 10,550.20 184,153.27 89,202.93 511,241.44 495,061.73 
			 West Sussex 56,625.96 755,687.75 444,876.68 3,375,760.17 1,787,853.01 
			 West Yorkshire 123,095.24 1,403,953.16 956,780.51 2,460,213.00 1,899,087.59 
			 Wiltshire 95,682.95 1,516,854.72 871,506.70 8,270,806.18 4,829,054.65 
			  
			 Total 9,832,149.89 92,583,021.39 74,322,289.95 290,411,251.48 164,225,416.90

Foot and Mouth

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she received (a) the report of the Rural Task Force and (b) Lord Haskins' report on rural recovery after foot and mouth disease.

Margaret Beckett: I saw the report of the Rural Task Force which was chaired by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Rural Affairs on 15 October immediately after the report had been completed. My noble Friend, the Lord Haskins, sent me a near-final draft of his report on 2 October, but he made some subsequent amendments; the report as printed was also completed on 15 October. The earliest mutually acceptable date for publication was 18 October.

Bio-security

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures have been taken to improve bio-security at ports to ensure that foot and mouth disease cannot enter the UK.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 15 March 2002
	Since April last year initiatives on illegal imports have been co-ordinated by officials in DEFRA, working closely with other Departments such as HM Customs and Excise and Food Standards Agency, as well as the local authorities and port health authorities who are responsible for controls at ports and airports. This joint approach had led to more effective information sharing and improved targeting of activity at ports and airports.
	DEFRA is also holding a high level forum on 21 March 2002 involving all stakeholders, to consider the next steps for intensifying our efforts and to agree further priorities and action.
	Responsibility for checks on imports of meat and meat products (which might be coming from countries with FMD) are the responsibility of the local or port health authority and it is for the appropriate local authority to deploy staff according to the volume and nature of products imported.

Herd Size

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the size of the national (a) dairy herd, (b) beef herd, (c) pig breeding herd, (d) fattening pig herd, (e) sheep flock and (f) lamb flock under one year old for the year ending 2001; and what the figures were for 2000.

Elliot Morley: The December 2001 Survey of Agriculture Results for England were published on 7 March 2002 in Statistics News Release 11/02 and are available on the DEFRA website at www.defra.gov.uk. Estimates for the dairy and beef herd, the pig breeding and fattening herds and the sheep and lamb flocks are detailed in the table with comparable figures for 2000.
	
		Thousand head 
		
			 Herd(7) December 2000 December 2001 Percentage change(8) December 2001/ December 2000 
		
		
			 Dairy herd 1,581 1,439 -9.0 
			 Beef herd 753 666 -11.5 
			 Pig breeding herd 475 440 -7.4 
			 Fattening pig herd 4,398 4,129 -6.1 
			 Sheep breeding flock 8,188 6,698 -18.2 
			 Lamb flock under 1 year(9) 3,790 3,241 -14.5 
		
	
	(7) Includes estimates for minor holdings.
	(8) Based on unrounded figures.
	(9) Excludes ewe lambs already put to the lamb which are already included in the figures for the breeding flock.

Agricultural Shows

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she and her Ministers have to visit agricultural shows in 2002.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 7 February 2002
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State and the DEFRA ministerial team will be visiting a range of agricultural shows during 2002 and a programme of visits is being drawn up.

Common Land

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will implement regulations governing rights of vehicular access over common land and limiting the amount a common land freeholder can charge for access rights.

Alun Michael: The Government are currently considering the many responses made during the public consultation exercise on the regulations undertaken last year. We hope to be in a position to lay draft regulations for England before Parliament soon.

Right of Access Maps

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the draft Right of Access maps for the lower north-west and the south-east of England as they are completed.

Alun Michael: Draft maps of open country and registered common land for land in the south-east and lower-north west mapping regions were issued by the Countryside Agency in November 2001, with a deadline for comments of 11 February 2002. The Agency will consider the representations which it has received about the draft maps before publishing provisional maps later this year. When the provisional maps are published, anyone with an interest in land may appeal to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State against its inclusion on a provisional map. When any appeals have been dealt with the Countryside Agency will issue a conclusive map. I have indicated that we will consider the case for bringing the right of access into force on a regional basis in the light of progress in the first two regions. I shall make an announcement soon.

Rural Affairs

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost is of the "Your Countryside, You're Welcome" (a) launch and (b) campaign.

Alun Michael: Rather than a Government advertising campaign, the "Your Countryside, You're Welcome" campaign was owned by some 50 organisations who worked as partners with DEFRA, DCMS, the Countryside Agency and the English Tourism Council. Over 100 other organisations were supportive or involved in a variety of ways. No costs can be ascribed to their time and effort, nor to the high level of activity at local and regional level around the country which has helped to re-engage urban and rural interest in a positive way.
	The total cost for the PR activity to support the "Your Countryside, You're Welcome" campaign was £209,000 plus VAT.
	This covered all fees and expenses incurred on the campaign including the launch event on 28 January, the public event in Leicester Square on 10 March, and the Daily Mirror promotion in the week commencing 11 March.

Sustainability

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's definition of sustainability.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 19 March 2002
	There are a number of definitions of sustainable development. The Government's sustainable development strategy—"A better quality of life" (Cm 4345)—defines it as "ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come".
	Like other definitions of sustainable development, the Government's approach emphasises the need to try to reconcile economic, social and environmental objectives and look for the best alternative that achieves this.
	The Government's latest report on sustainable development—"Achieving a better quality of life 2001"—was published on 13 March 2002, and can be found via http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2002, Official Report, column 926–27W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from her Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case.

Elliot Morley: Further to the details I gave the right hon. Member on 23 January 2002, the Department's records show details of the following items of stolen computer equipment that were either new and unused or used.
	Data stored on the stolen computer equipment relates to MAFF/DEFRA's business. It is not possible to be more precise.
	
		Thefts of IT equipment since 1 May 1997
		
			 Thefts Number Items stolen Category 
		
		
			 1997
			 3 May 20 PC Used 
			 6 May 1 PC Used 
			 9 June 1 Laptop Used 
			 1 August 2 PC New and unused 
			 11 August 1 Laptop New and unused 
			 9 September 1 PC New and unused 
			 30 September 1 PC Used 
			 2 October 1 Laptop Used 
			 
			 1998
			 12 January 2 Laptops Used 
			 21 June 1 Laptop Used 
			 5 September 1 Laptop Used 
			 21 September 2 Laptops Used 
			 
			 1999
			 1 February 1 Laptop, zip and mouse Used 
			 23 February 2 Central processing units Used 
			 26 March 2 PCs, 8 copies of software and 2 ethernet cards Used 
			 14 April 1 Laptop Used 
			 19 April 1 Psion organiser Used 
			 18 August 1 Laptop New and unused 
			 20 September 1 Laptop Used 
			 28 October 1 PC and printer Used 
			 15 November 1 Laptop Used 
			 22 November 1 Laptop Used 
			 20 December 1 Laptop Used 
			 
			 2000
			 28 January 1 Laptop Used 
			 13 February 1 PC and printer Used 
			 27 February 1 Laptop and floppy disk drive Used 
			 21 March 1 Psion organiser New and unused 
			 28 March 1 Psion 5 MX Used 
			 05 April 1 Laptop and mobile printer Used 
			 16 May 29 Processors (microchips) and 1 Laptop Used 
			 24 May 1 Laptop Used 
			 26 May 1 Laptop, Printer and Accessories Used 
			 7 July 3 2 PCs and 1 laptop Used 
			 19 July 4 Processors (microchips) Used 
			 20 July 1 PC and modem Used 
			 2 August 1 Laptop, 1 printer and 1 printer lead Used 
			 7 August 3 PCs Used 
			 17 August 1 Processor (microchips) Used 
			 11 September 1 Laptop, mouse and connections Used 
			 12 October 1 Modem card Used 
			 30 October 1 Laptop Used 
			 20 November 1 Laptop, 1 floppy disc and CD drive Used 
			 29 November 3 Processors (microchips) Used 
			 
			 2001
			 1 February 1 Laptop Used 
			 6 February 2 Laptops Used 
			 8 February 1 Laptop Used 
			 12 February 2 Laptops New and unused 
			 12 March 2 PC and printer Used 
			 21 March 1 Laptop Used 
			 2 April 1 Laptop Used 
			 9 May 2 DIM chips New and unused 
			 20 May 1 Keyboard Used 
			 2 July 1 PC Used 
			 2 August 1 Chips (microchips) Used 
			 16 August 1 Laptop plus 1 modem and carry case Used 
			 14 September 1 Laptop Used 
			 28 September 1 Laptop Used 
			 1 October 1 Laptop Used 
			 5 October 1 Laptop Used 
			 21 November 1 Laptop and 1 Projector Used 
			 19 December 2 Printers Used 
			 
			 2002
			 8 January 12 PCs Used

Ministerial Transport

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last used the railway service in connection with her official duties; what station she left from and what was the destination; and whether it is her intention to make greater use of the railways in future.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State last used the railway service in connection with her official duties on 22 January, travelling on the Eurostar service from Brussels to Waterloo. My right hon. Friend will continue to use the railway service where appropriate.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Article 13 Action Programme

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (a) composition and (b) mission of the article 13 action programme; when it will meet; and what parliamentary scrutiny there will be of its activities.

Patricia Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
	The Article 13 action programme is an activity of the European Community. It was agreed under Article 13 of the European Community Treaty on 27 November 2000, and will run until 2006.
	The Programme supports the development of practical solutions to combat discrimination on grounds of racial and ethnic origin, disability, age, religion and belief and sexual orientation. The programme encourages the exchange of best practice on policies and practices which have been shown to work well in combating discrimination across Europe.
	The day to day running of the programme is the responsibility of the European Commission under the direction of a Management Committee comprising of representatives of all member states including the United Kingdom. The Committee meets three or four times a year to provide the necessary guidance to the Commission. An evaluation of the programme will be reported to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. A copy of the evaluation report will be placed in the Libraries of the House once available.

Public Bodies (Chairman)

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the appointments made by his Department since 1 May 1997 of chairmen of (a) non-departmental public bodies, (b) commissions, (c) inquiries, (d) agencies and (e) task forces; and if he will list their (i) term of office, (ii) salary and (iii) known political affiliation (A) past and (B) present.

Ben Bradshaw: (a) Foreign and Commonwealth Office has 10 Non departmental public bodies. Chairpersons appointed since 1 May 1997 are as follows:
	Sir Frank Berman, Chairman, Diplomatic Service Appeals Board
	(i) Term of office: three years (appointed November 2001)
	(ii) Salary: nil
	Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Chair, British Council
	(i) Term of office: three years (Appointed one term August 1999 to July 2001 re-appointed for a second term August 2001– July 04)
	(ii) Salary: honorarium 35,000 perannum (agreed by order of the Charity Commissioners)
	Sir Andrew Wood KCMG, Chairman, Britain-Russia Centre
	(i) Term of office: three years (Appointed November 2000)
	(ii) Salary: nil
	Mr. Ernie Ross MP, Chairman, Westminster Foundation for Democracy
	(i) Term of office: one year (July 1997 and yearly reappointment thereafter)
	(ii) Salary: nil
	Lady Suzanne Warner, Chair, Wilton Park Academic Council
	(i) Term of office: two years (first appointment December 1999 reappointed December 2001).
	(ii) Salary: nil
	Mr. Jonathan Taylor, Chairman, Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission
	(i) Term of office: three years (appointed April 2000)
	(ii) Salary: nil
	Right hon. Lord Radice, Chairman, British Association for Central and Eastern Europe
	(i) Term of office: three years (reappointed October 2000)
	(ii) Salary: nil
	Sir Ewen Fergusson, Chairman, Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine
	(i) Term of office: five years (appointed April 1998)
	(ii) Salary: nil
	Mr. David Brewer, Chairman, Great Britain China Centre
	(i) Term of office: three years (first appointment October 1997, reappointed October 2000)
	(ii) Salary: nil
	(b) Commissions
	Mr. Arthur Wheeler Chairman, Foreign Compensation Commission
	(i) Term of office: one year (last appointed December 2001)
	(ii) Salary: nil.
	Information on Political affiliation is not available.

Territorial Forces

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of staff of his Department are members of the Territorial forces; and if he has a strategy to encourage members of staff to become members of the Territorial forces.

Ben Bradshaw: The number of staff in the FCO who are members of the territorial forces is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The FCO supports staff who wish to serve in the reserve forces and allows them paid time off work to take part in these activities.

Civil Servants (Education)

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of recruits to his Department came from Oxford and Cambridge in (a) the last year for which figures are available and (b) for the 10 preceding years.

Ben Bradshaw: The last published figures for 2000 are in the 2001 Departmental report. The table shows the percentage recruited from Oxbridge for 2000–1990.
	
		
			  Policy Operational 
		
		
			 2000 57 4 
			 1999 44 4 
			 1998 65 7 
			 1997 48 6 
			 1996 72 12 
			 1995 57 (10)— 
			 1994 71 (10)— 
			 1993 71 (10)— 
			 1992 79 (10)— 
			 1991 52 (10)— 
			 1990 67 (10)— 
		
	
	(10) Not collected pre-1996

Civil Servants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out for each Civil Service grade within his (a) Department and (b) Department's executive agencies the (i) total number of staff employed, (ii) number aged (A) 16 to 25, (B) 26 to 35, (C) 36 to 45, (D) 46 to 60 and (E) over the age of 60 years, (iii) number of registered disabled and (iv) number of ethnic minorities.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 13 March 2002 by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, Official Report, column 1071W.

Special Advisers

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 (a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity; and if he will list the total cost, including (i) travel, (ii) accommodation and (iii) subsistence allowance, for each occasion.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 27 February. 2002
	Between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001, special advisers in my Department travelled abroad in an official capacity on eight occasions, at an average cost of £3,039.04 per trip. Information for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2000 is already in the public domain. All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the ministerial code, and the civil service management code.

Council Proposal 569

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the legal basis for Council proposal Com (2001) 569.

Ben Bradshaw: The legal base of proposal 569 was article 308 of the EU treaty. The proposal was adopted as a regulation (2580–2001) on 27 December 2001. The legal basis of the regulation was articles 60, 301 and 308 of the EU treaty.
	The Government welcome this regulation as an integral part of the EU's measures to implement UNSCR 1373(2001). The UK strongly supported the timely adoption of UNSCR 1373 (2001) as a vital measure in the global campaign against terrorism. The regulation will assist in ensuring full compliance within the EU with the provisions of UNSCR 1373(2001). The Government consider the immediate freezing of assets to prevent their dissipation an essential tool in the fight against terrorism. The regulation does not limit the UK's ability to take autonomous measures against other individuals that we deem to be linked to terrorism.

External Contracts

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999, (c) May 1999 to April 2000, (d) May 2000 to April 2001 and (e) May 2001 to the latest date, indicating in each case the values of the contracts and the companies with which the contracts were placed;
	(2)  which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations which previously held contracts with his Department (a) won new contracts at the culmination of the existing contracts and (b) won new contracts after a period of inactivity with his Department in each of the past five years.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 28 February, 2002
	This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Parental Leave Directive

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the (a) financial costs and (b) benefits to his Department of the Parental Leave Directive.

Ben Bradshaw: No central records are kept of parental leave taken and so no estimates are readily available of the likely financial costs to the FCO of the introduction of the Parental Leave Directive. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is committed to assisting its employees to achieve a better balance between home and work life. The entitlement to parental leave is another element of this.

West Bank

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid will be given to help rebuild settlements destroyed on the West Bank; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Through our bilateral aid programme, the European Union and UNWRA we support the short term needs of the Palestinian Authority. It is also critical to address our long-term goal of Palestinian nation building in parallel. The aim of our development assistance programme in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is to help develop the building blocks which will support the creation of a viable Palestinian state. We aim to provide a broad range of technical assistance designed to promote peace, stability and economic and social development. UK bilateral assistance is planned at £14 million this year. In 2001 the UK contributed £25 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to support vulnerable Palestinian refugee communities. The Government have no specific plans to give aid to rebuild Palestinian towns in the West Bank.

Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Israel about Palestinian child detainees held in Israeli prisons and detention centres.

Ben Bradshaw: Our embassy in Tel Aviv has raised with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs the case of Sausan Abu Turki, a 14-year-old Palestinian girl arrested in late 2001 for allegedly attacking an Israel Defence Force officer, whom we understand the Israeli authorities continue to hold without charge. The embassy also supports the efforts of human rights NGOs and the EU in raising specific cases of alleged abuse against minors by the Israeli authorities.

Israel

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of the United Nations in securing peace in Israel.

Ben Bradshaw: United Nations Security Resolutions 242 and 338 remain the basis for a just and lasting settlement in the middle east. We welcome the adoption of UNSCR 1397 on 12 March which sets out the vision of two states within secure and recognised borders. It demands an immediate cessation of all acts of violence and calls on both leaders to co-operate in the implementation of the Tenet plan and Mitchell Committee recommendations with the aim of resuming negotiations on a political settlement.
	We support the efforts of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and UN Special Co-ordinator Terje Rod Larsen.

Iraq

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times officials from his Department have had contact with Iraqi Government officials in (a) the last month, (b) the last three months and (c) the last six months.

Ben Bradshaw: During the periods specified, there have been (a) 0 (b) 3 and (c) 5 meetings between officials from my Department and Iraqi Government officials.

Iraq

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has received linking Iraq to the New York terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: As we have consistently made clear, we have no reason to believe Iraq was involved in the September 11 terrorist attacks. Nevertheless, we share the concern of all responsible members of the international community about Iraq's support for terrorism and its development of weapons of mass destruction.

Belize and Guatemala

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on negotiations between Belize and Guatemala to resolve their territorial dispute.

Denis MacShane: The Governments of Belize and Guatemala are working closely under the auspices of the Organisation of American States (OAS), to negotiate a settlement to their long standing territorial dispute. Two facilitators appointed by Belize and Guatemala, aim to present recommendations for an agreed settlement to both Governments shortly.
	We firmly support the OAS-facilitated process. We very much hope that Belize and Guatemala will be able to agree a settlement this year. Such an agreement would have great significance for both countries and the region more widely. We are in close touch with both countries and are actively helping the facilitators to secure a final and lasting settlement to the dispute.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 776–77W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from his Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case.

Jack Straw: Further to the answer of 22 January, I can confirm that, with the exception of the boxed PC, monitor and keyboard stolen on 22 May 2001, and the seven monitors stolen on 10 January 2002, which were all new and unused items, the remaining items were all used.
	As stated in the answer on 6 February 2002 by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Official Report, column 948W, to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell), data held on the used equipment was of an unclassified nature, and no security breaches occurred as a result of the thefts.

Jamal Uddin

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions British officials had with Jamal Uddin in Kabul prior to his detention in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba by the US military authorities.

Ben Bradshaw: The British Embassy in Kabul spoke to Jamal Uddin in Kandahar by telephone on 16 January about his movement from Kandahar to Kabul. In the event, before Mr. Uddin could travel to Kabul, he was detained by US forces in Kandahar on approximately 25 January and subsequently moved to Guantanamo Bay on 11 February where he was seen by British officials on 26 February.

British Overseas Territories

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when (a) he, (b) other Ministers and (c) a member of the Royal Family last officially visited each of the British Overseas Territories.

Ben Bradshaw: The Secretary of State has not visited any of the Overseas Territories. Visits to the Overseas Territories by other Foreign Office Ministers and by members of the Royal Family over the last two years were as follows:
	
		Visits by Ministers
		
			 Territory  Visitor Date of visit 
		
		
			 Visits by Ministers   
			 Cayman Islands Baroness Scotland July/August 2000 
			 Anguilla Baroness Scotland September 2000 
			 British Virgin Islands Baroness Scotland September 2000 
			 British Antarctic Territory Baroness Scotland January 2001 
			 Falkland Islands John Battle February 2001 
			 Gibraltar Peter Hain September 2001 
			 Montserrat Baroness Amos December 2001 
			 Turks and Caicos Islands Baroness Amos December 2001 
			
			  Visits by members of the Royal Family 
			 British Virgin Islands Duke of York March 2000 
			 Montserrat Duke of York March 2000 
			 Anguilla Duke of York March 2000 
			 Turks and Caicos Islands Duke of York March 2000 
			 Cayman Islands Duke of York March 2000 
			 Bermuda Princess Royal April 2001 
		
	
	For visits prior to this I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) on 7 June 2000, Official Report, columns 293–94W.

Gibraltar

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have been held between the Government and (a) the EU and (b) individual member states of the EU, on the relationship between Gibraltar and Spain.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the Presidency Conclusions from the Barcelona European Council on 15–16 March (copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House) in which the European Council:
	welcomes the decision of the UK and Spain to relaunch the Brussels Process on Gibraltar, established in November 1984;
	underlines the EU's support for both Governments' commitment to overcome their differences over Gibraltar, and to conclude a comprehensive agreement before the summer;
	invites the Commission to explore possible ways in which the EU could underpin any agreement reached.

St. Helena (Celebrations)

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will represent Her Majesty's Government at the 500 Anniversary celebrations on the island of St. Helena.

Ben Bradshaw: The Governor will represent Her Majesty's Government at the 500 anniversary celebrations on 21 May.

SCOTLAND

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to her answer of 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 698W, on stolen equipment, whether the laptop stolen from her Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on it.

Helen Liddell: The laptop stolen from my Department was used and it contained non-classified information relating to the work of the Department.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Civil Servants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many new entrants to the civil service were employed in her Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 and over.

Kim Howells: holding answer 25 February 2002
	The information is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Entrants Aged 50 years and over 
		
		
			 1997–98 22 1 
			 1998–99 16 3 
			 1999–2000 35 1 
			 2000–01 27 2 
			 2001–02 34 1

Hyde Park

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of the paying concerts and other events planned for (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004 in Hyde Park are contractually committed.

Richard Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 28 February 2002, Official Report, columns 1531–32W.

Export Bars

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much money has been spent by (a) her Department and (b) other Government Departments for the purpose of preventing an item being exported, following the placing of an export bar, since 1997;
	(2)  for each item that has had an export bar placed on it by the Department since 1997, how long the export bar has remained in place and how many of these items were (a) allowed to remain in the country indefinitely and (b) eventually exported;
	(3)  how many export bars have been carried out by her Department for each year since 1997; and if she will list the items and their value.

Kim Howells: The information requested is also contained in the last five annual reports of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art. Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses. Information relating to cases considered in the current committee year (from 1 July 2001 onwards) will be available after the year ends on 30 June 2002, in the annual report for that period.
	There have been 71 temporary export bars since 1997. Details of the items and their value are provided in the first three columns of the table that has been placed in the Library.
	Information the length of temporary export bars and the issue of export licences is set out in the fourth, fifth and sixth columns of the table. Temporary export bars usually take the form of a split period; the first to allow expressions of interest in purchasing the item to be made, and the second to allow the funds to be raised and the invoice paid. If there is no expression of interest by the end of the first period a licence is usually granted. If there is an expression of interest, then the deferral usually continues into the second period.
	Items which have been under temporary export bar are usually purchased by UK institutions or private individuals, not by Government Departments. Decisions to purchase are usually made by the trustees of these institutions and they are often assisted by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Art Fund and the Resource/Victoria and Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund. Purchase information is shown in the final column of the table, and details of contributions made each year by grant-giving bodies can be found in Appendix G of the Reviewing Committee's annual reports.

Job Sharing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in her Department.

Kim Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has a range of policies intended to help staff to better manage work-life balance, including support for part-time and job-share opportunities. All posts are open to those wishing to work part-time or job-share although there are currently no posts being filled on a job-share basis.

Job Sharing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what proportion of the staff of her Department are (a) job sharing, (b) term working and (c) engaged in another form of flexible working.

Kim Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has a range of policies intended to help staff to better manage work-life balance, including support for part-time, job-share and other flexible work patterns. All posts are open to those wishing to work part-time or job-share although there are currently no posts being filled on a job-share or term working basis.

New Millennium Experience Company

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if surplus funds have been returned by the New Millennium Experience Company to (a) English Partnerships and (b) other parts of Government.

Kim Howells: (a) No. (b) No. Funding for the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has been provided by the Millennium Commission. NMEC is now in voluntary liquidation and a trust holding money that was available to NMEC has returned £883,000 to the commission, relating to expenditure that will not, now, be required. Of the additional £47 million set aside by the Millennium Commission for NMEC in September 2000, £25 million has not been required.

BBC

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Government's policy is on the future relationship of the BBC with Ofcom.

Kim Howells: The Government's policy on the BBC and OFCOM is set out in the White Paper "A New Future for Communications". Our aim, within the proposed three tiers of regulation, is to create a more level playing field for the BBC and the commercial public service broadcasters, while recognising the distinctive role of the BBC. At tier one (covering for example standards and subtitling but with impartiality requirements excepted) and tier two (measurable quotas, news in peak time) the BBC will be regulated by OFCOM alongside other public service broadcasters. At tier three, the Governors will continue to regulate the delivery of the BBC's remit, while the commercial public service broadcasters will be given greater freedom in the delivery of their remits.

BBC

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will set out the past and present party political affiliations of those members of the British Broadcasting Corporation whom the Government are responsible for appointing.

Kim Howells: My Department does not collect details of the political affiliation of people appointed to public bodies.

Regulatory Impact Unit

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members her Department employs in its Regulatory Impact Unit; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: In the Department, regulatory impact issues fall to the Policy, Innovation and Delivery Unit. The Unit currently has 6.5 full time posts.

Public-Private Partnerships (Consultants)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total external spending by her Department was on public private partnership consultants in each of the last four years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by her Department over this period; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My Department has only engaged PFI consultants, I therefore refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 6 February 2002, Official Report, column 985W.

Departmental Functions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the functions of her Department that have been (a) market tested and (b) outsourced in each of the last five years, specifying the (i) money saving and (ii) percentage saving in each case.

Kim Howells: The DCMS is a mainly policy Department and has few activities capable of being outsourced. Some support services functions are able to be outsourced and during the last five years the provision of facilities management services have been contracted out after competitive tendering. The facilities services budget in total amounts to 0.15 per cent. of the total departmental budget and 5 per cent. of the administration budget. The saving of £60,000 annually represents a 4 per cent. saving of the facilities services budget but has also brought unquantifiable quality savings and industrial know-how. No market testing has taken place.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the Public Service Agreement targets which have been revised and those which have been introduced since the publication of the 2001 departmental report.

Kim Howells: My Department has not revised or introduced any new Public Service Agreement targets since the publication of the 2001 departmental annual report.

Special Advisers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the number and expected cost to her Department of special advisers in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Kim Howells: (a) Details of special advisers employed in the Department 2000–02 are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Special advisers: Full time  Part time  Total 
		
		
			 2000 2 0 2 
			 2001 (11)2 0 (11)2 
			 2002 2 0 2 
		
	
	(11) We employed three special advisers to cover the two posts throughout the year.
	(b) We expect to employ two special advisers for 2002–3.
	The salaries of special advisers are negotiated individually within the stated pay range (£28,328–£82,867). Details of salaries remain confidential in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.

Timber

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the companies from which her Department has obtained timber and wood products and the total spent with each firm over the last five years.

Kim Howells: The only timber related products purchased in the last five years have been workstations. These are laminate over recycled timber chipboard in construction. The supplier has been Herman Miller Office Systems at a total cost of £105,000 over the five year period.

Film Industry

Jean Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the United Kingdom's contribution to the international film industry.

Kim Howells: Between 1997 and September 2001 four British films, "The Full Monty", "Notting Hill", "Chicken Run" and "Bridget Jones's Diary", together grossed around £700 million at the worldwide box office. Recent major budget productions attracted to these shores such as "Tomb Raider", "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", "Chocolat", "Killing me Softly" and "The Mummy Returns" have contributed to the overall inward investment figure of approximately £539 million in 2000. The Film Council's Premiere Fund has a budget of £30 million of Lottery money over three years for the production of theatrical feature films that have the potential to attract significant audiences at home and abroad. The Film Council's most recent release, Gosford Park, has already won a Golden Globe and has been nominated for seven "Oscars". The UK was one of the earliest signatories of the European Co-Production Convention and has seven bilateral co-production agreements with other countries. The UK also has a massive talent base, providing a major contribution to the world's feature film industry.

Restoration

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list those publicly funded and grant aided (a) art galleries and (b) museums where items in their collections have been damaged as a result of inappropriate and poorly executed restoration work since 1990; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: None of my Department's grant aided museums or art galleries have items in their collections that have been damaged as a result of restoration work carried out since 1990. The science of conservation and restoration is continually improving to ensure that best practices are employed. All conservation and restoration work is carried out by expert conservators.

Press and Public Relations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press releases were issued by her Department (a) between 1 May and 31 December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive.

Kim Howells: (a) My Department issued 248 press releases between 1 May and 31 December 1997.
	(b) In 1998 we issued 319 In 1999 we issued 315 in 2000 we issued 331 in 2001 we issued 325.

Territorial Forces

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members of staff of her Department are members of the Territorial Forces; and if she has a strategy to encourage members of staff to become members of the Territorial Forces.

Kim Howells: The Department does not hold information on which members of staff are members of the Territorial Forces. We encourage staff to become members of the Territorial Forces by allowing up to eight days paid special leave per year for training plus an additional five for special courses or exercises. We also look favourably upon requests for unpaid special leave in connection with these activities.

Radio Broadcasts

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in what languages other than English radio programmes are broadcast in the United Kingdom; and for how many hours each month in each case.

Kim Howells: The following is a list of languages (other than English) which are broadcast on radio in the United Kingdom. Detailed information on how many hours each month, for each language are available only for BBC radio broadcasts.
	Languages which are broadcast on independent radio in the UK:
	Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Croatian, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Hindko, Italian, Kashmir, Malaysian, Mirpuri, Pahari, Pathwari, Patois, Punjabi, Pashto, Russian, Serbian, Sinhalese, Somali, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu and Welsh.
	Stichting Transworld Radio Europe and WRN Euromax are broadcast in multi-lingual European.
	The BBC also broadcast a number of languages on radio in the UK. These are:
	Radio Nan Gaidheal broadcasts in Gaelic for around 155 hours per month;
	Radio Cymru broadcasts in Welsh for around 535 hours per month;
	The Asian Network broadcasts in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi and Mirpuri for around 272 hours per month;
	Local radio stations offer some broadcasts in languages other than English including over 160 hours per month in Asian languages, four hours of Italian and 12 hours of Cantonese.
	A special version of the World Service is currently available via Digital Satellite in Arabic, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Pashto and Persian and broadcasts 24 hours a day. Some listeners may also be able to receive foreign language programmes from the main World Service but this service is not of course directed at licence payers in the UK.

Tourism

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourism visits there were to (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) west midlands and (d) Staffordshire in each of the last four years to the latest available date.

Kim Howells: The numbers of visits by overseas residents and visits with overnight stays by UK residents are given in the table for the latest available four years.
	Data for 2001 are not yet available, with the exception of total visits to the UK by overseas residents, of which there were 23.4 million.
	
		Million 
		
			  Visits by overseas residents Visits by UK residents Total visits 
		
		
			 UK
			 1997 25.5 162.2 187.7 
			 1998 25.7 148.8 174.5 
			 1999 25.4 173.1 198.5 
			 2000 25.2 175.4 200.6 
			 
			 England
			 1997 19.6 125.6 145.2 
			 1998 19.9 115.4 135.3 
			 1999 21.5 137.7 159.2 
			 2000 21.5 140.1 161.9 
			 
			  West Midlands  
			 1997 1.27 (12)— (12)— 
			 1998 1.36 (12)— (12)— 
			 1999 1.43 (12)— (12)— 
			 2000 1.46 5.2 6.7 
			 
			 Staffordshire
			 1997 0.11 (12)— (12)— 
			 1998 0.14 (12)— (12)— 
			 1999 0.13 (12)— (12)— 
			 2000 0.13 1.5 1.6 
		
	
	(12) Not available.
	Sources:
	International Passenger Survey—Office for National Statistics; UK Tourism Survey—English Tourism Council; Welsh Tourist Board; Visit Scotland; Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

Licensing Hours

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to review legislation governing hours of licensing for public houses.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 18 March 2002
	This issue was thoroughly reviewed between 1997 and 1999. Following our review, the White Paper "Time for Reform: Proposals for the Modernisation of Our Licensing Laws (Cm 4696)", published on 10 April 2000, set out our plans for reforming the alcohol and public entertainment licensing laws, including the hours during which alcohol may be sold or supplied to the public. To counter and minimise public disorder resulting from fixed closing times, we intend to introduce flexible opening hours as a condition of the licences of each venue, with the potential for some to operate up to 24 hour opening on each day of the week, subject to consideration of the impact on local residents. We intend to introduce primary legislation to implement these proposals as soon as parliamentary time permits.

Golden Jubilee

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many non-domestic visitors she estimates will visit London during the week of the Queen's Golden Jubilee; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: No estimate has been made of the number of non-domestic visitors likely to visit London during the week of the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
	The Queen's Golden Jubilee is a great opportunity to encourage more people to visit the UK this year and it is central to the British Tourist Authority's current overseas promotional campaigns.

Golden Jubilee

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps have been taken to publicise the Queen's Jubilee internationally; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is a member of the Golden Jubilee Communications Group and is working closely with other members to promote the Jubilee abroad.
	The Jubilee is central to the BTA's campaigns this year with all its main publications carrying features on the Jubilee. The BTA is undertaking a range of other promotional activities, such as producing a Royal Heritage map highlighting 50 locations throughout the country with royal connections; running a competition with BBC World Service in the US with winners securing tickets for the two Buckingham Palace concerts and bringing travel journalists and tour organisers to the UK to showcase Royal Heritage.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 727W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from her Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case.

Kim Howells: The personal computer base units and personal computer monitor were new and unused and contained no departmental data.
	The laptop was a recent procurement and contained only a small amount of correspondence, none of which was protectively marked.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Flexible Working

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of the staff of his Department are (a) job sharing, (b) term working and (c) engaged in another form of flexible working.

Angela Eagle: Home Office staff are able to take advantage of a variety of flexible and non-traditional working patterns, including job sharing and term working. The working pattern is decided in conjunction with local management to suit an individual's preferences and the requirements of their work.
	We estimate that 11 per cent. of staff work part-time in a range of ways, for example reduced days per week, working alternate weeks and term time working, but we do not hold central records of the details of these arrangements. Many other staff work full time, but have flexible hours. 38 staff are currently recorded as being job sharers in the Home Office, United Kingdom Passport and Records Service and Forensic Science Service. Information on staff in the Prison Service who are job sharers is not held centrally and could not be provided without disproportionate costs.

Press and Public Relations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were employed in a press or public relations function in his Department on 1 January in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002.

Angela Eagle: The information requested is shown in the table:
	
		
			   Number of press officers at 1 January 
		
		
			 1997 (13)14 
			 1998 14 
			 1999 14 
			 2000 13 
			 2001 23 
			 2002 31 
		
	
	(13) At April—the nearest figure available.
	This includes eight people employed as press officers for the Prison Service whose media relations operation moved to the Home Office in August 2001.
	In addition at various times chief immigration officers and policy officials were on six-month attachments to the press office.
	No one was employed in a general public relations function.
	However as has been explained in previous answers, the expansion of the Home Office press office followed an external consultant's review of its staffing and operation and recommended the increases. Staff levels in the press office had been static for some years despite the enormous changes in the media and their increasing demands for a 24 hours service.
	The figures for 1997 through to 2000 of 13 or 14 press officers do not reflect vacancies and the complement would have been nearer 17 or 18. The office was in fact supplemented by secondments, loans and attachments.

Animal Experiments

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to establish a Royal Commission into animal experiments; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Government have not ruled out a Royal Commission but strongly believe that resources can best be used to make immediate improvements to the operation of the 1986 Act and to promote the fullest application of the three Rs—replacing the use of animals with alternative methods; reducing the number of animals needed for a particular purpose and refining the procedures to minimise suffering.
	In this context, the Animal Procedures Committee is currently considering the responses to a public consultation paper as part of its review of the cost/benefit assessment of applications for authority to use animals in scientific procedures. As part of this work, the committee plans to produce a statement on the validity of animal experiments. I expect to receive its report in the next few months.
	The House of Lords has also established a Select Committee on the use of animals in scientific procedures and is currently gathering evidence.

Animal Experiments

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a programme of investment involving companies that profit from animal experimentation in the development of non-animal experimentation alternatives.

Angela Eagle: The Government do not believe that setting mandatory requirements for investment into research into alternatives to the use of animals in scientific procedures is either desirable or necessary.
	Nonetheless, every year the Home Office makes available to the Animal Procedures Committee (APC) a budget for research aimed at developing or promoting the use of alternatives which replace animal use, reduce the number of animals used, or refine the procedures involved to minimise suffering (the three Rs). Details of completed research projects are published in the annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee, which is available from The Stationery Office.
	The amount made available to the Committee for 2001–02 for this specific purpose has increased to £280,000. However, this is not the only money spent by the Government on seeking to develop alternatives, as other Departments also fund such work. It is estimated that the total spent on this by the United Kingdom Government is in the region of £2 million each year. Industry also spends many millions of pounds each year on the search for and development of alternatives. To take this further on an international level, the United Kingdom Government will continue to support the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) through contributions to the European Union.

Animal Experiments

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to regulate the breeding of animals specifically for experiments; and if he will introduce further legislation on this issue.

Angela Eagle: Breeding and supply of animals for use in experimental or other scientific procedures are regulated by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Such animals, as described in Schedule 2 of the Act (which lists the commonly used species), may generally only be obtained from designated breeding and supplying establishments.
	These establishments are only designated if, on the advice of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate, or my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Mr. Blunkett) is satisfied that they meet minimum animal welfare standards. The standards are set out in the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals in Designated Breeding and Supplying Establishments, presented to Parliament in 1995 under section 21 of the Act (HC 125, available—along with a recently published supplement—in the Library).
	There are no plans to introduce further legislation. The Code of Practice will, however, continue to be supplemented and updated as required, to take account of any additions to Schedule 2 of the Act and of any new developments in the field of animal care.

Animal Experiments

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish a mandatory control database to stop unnecessary experiments involving animals.

Angela Eagle: To meet the requirements of section 5(4) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, any application to use protected animals in research must be the subject of a detailed cost/benefit assessment by Home Office inspectors. The likely adverse effects on the animals concerned must be weighed against the benefit likely to accrue as a result of the proposed programme of work. All procedures are strictly regulated and all applications for licenses to use animals are assessed to ensure that the work is necessary.
	For that purpose the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate, who offer professional advice and recommendations on licence applications made under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, use a range of resources to keep abreast of developments and results in animal research, and the scientific community have established and maintained their own databases to the same end.
	A mandatory central database would be problematic for a number of reasons. There would, in particular, be significant difficulties in ensuring the completeness and quality of the data and in ensuring that intellectual or commercial confidentiality were not compromised. We do, however, believe that there is scope for further reducing the risk of duplication of animal testing by encouraging companies to engage in data sharing. To this end, in August 2000, we announced an inter-Departmental concordat on data sharing to enable Government Departments to reduce the duplication of tests on animals. The concordat commits United Kingdom regulatory authorities to help resolve legal and other obstacles and encourage data sharing between clients and thereby reduce animal tests. Progress in implementing the concordat will be reviewed in the next few months.
	In addition, there are a number of international and national initiatives to encourage data sharing. International assessment programmes have well-established and effective methods for data sharing, ensuring mutual acceptance of data and dissemination of information on chemicals. This also extends to dissemination of data to developing countries.

Football (Policing Costs)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the annual contribution made to the Metropolitan Police by the Football Association is to cover policing costs at football matches.

John Denham: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has informed me that the Football Association does not make an annual contribution toward the policing of domestic football matches within the Metropolitan Police Service area. Individual football clubs however do contribute toward costs for games at their respective home grounds.
	Payments of around £11,000 in each of the years 2000–01 and 2001–02 have been made by the Football Association in connection with investigations or international matches.

Police Houses

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 4 February 2002, Official Report, column 686W, on police houses, if it is his policy to withdraw the right to buy from a police officer who will be entitled to buy his property on 1 July.

John Denham: We propose in the Police Reform Bill to remove the Metropolitan Police Authority from the secure tenancy regime: but any secure tenant who has acquired the right to buy at the time of Royal Assent of the Bill will have a three month period of grace to exercise that right.
	This will allow any secure tenant who has acquired the right to buy before the day on which the Act is passed and has either served a notice claiming to exercise that right before the Act is passed, or serves such a notice within three months of the Act being passed, to complete the purchase process within the framework of the Housing Act 1985.

Police Accident Investigation Officers

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police accident investigation officers were employed in the UK in (a) 1992, (b) 1995, (c) 1998 and (d) 2001.

John Denham: The information set out below is only for England and Wales as my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) is not responsible for policing in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
	Information is collected annually by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary about the deployment of police service personnel.
	I understand from the Inspectorate that it is not possible to identify separately the number of accident investigation officers as they are part of a larger traffic support group within police forces that also undertakes other traffic duties such as speed radar operators, vehicle examiners and hazardous chemical experts.

Firearms

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many instances 22 single shot pistols of the type used in the Commonwealth and Olympic games have been used in (a) homicide, (b) robbery and (c) other indictable offences during the period since the passing of the Firearms (Amendment) No. 2 Act 1997 and for the same period prior to the passing of that Act.

John Denham: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last discussed conditions in prison in England and Wales with the Chief Inspector of Prisons.

Beverley Hughes: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary meets Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, normally on a quarterly basis to discuss current concerns. The most recent meeting was held on 31 October with the next taking place shortly.
	Additionally I meet Her Majesty's Chief Inspector on a regular basis. The last meeting was on 14 February.

Prisons

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans to reduce the prison population.

Beverley Hughes: We need to ensure that we can perform the basic duty to protect the public by punishing people for the crimes they have committed while ensuring we engage in rehabilitation to reduce re-offending and prevent crime. To this end we are committed to a radical re-think of the sentencing framework so as to give clarity and direction to the courts and avoid the damaging effects of prison overcrowding. Prison must be used as effectively as possible and targeted where it is most necessary. It should be used for incapacitating dangerous, violent and other serious offenders but prison sentences should be as long as necessary for punishment and public protection, and no longer.
	The reform of the probation service, with its central focus on reducing re-offending means that rigorously enforced community sentences are a real and tough alternative to imprisonment. We want to build on this work to provide sentencers with more than two stark options, imprisonment or a community sentence. We are looking at intermediate disposals such as intermittent custody and a strengthened suspended sentence. On community sentences the courts need to be able to mix and match with a generic sentence so that we can get it right for the individual. As part of the work taking forward the recommendations of the Halliday report on the sentencing framework we are looking at new forms of community penalties that allow the sentencer this flexibility. We aim to encourage greater use of community penalties for some non-violent offenders such as those convicted of theft and handling or fraud.
	Home Detention Curfew and a rigorous assessment process plays an important role by enabling some prisoners to be released from prison, while still subject to restrictions placed on their liberty. This facilitates a smoother and more effective integration back into the community and helps offenders to secure employment as soon as possible.
	We are addressing the recent increase in female prison population by taking forward the Government's strategy for female prisoners. A cross-Government women's offenders reduction plan is currently being developed by a multi-agency team drawn from across the criminal justice system, which is based in the Home Office. The aim of the programme is to strengthen policy, programme, research and spending partnerships across government to reduce women's offending. This includes linking criminal justice work with broader Government efforts to tackle social exclusion, particularly as it affects women at risk of offending.

Prisons

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of (a) men and (b) women in prison are lone parents of children under the age of 18 years.

Beverley Hughes: There are no centrally collated statistics on this issue.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who have escaped from prison are still at large; and on what dates they escaped from custody.

Beverley Hughes: Of the 105 prisoners who have escaped from prison establishments since 1 April 1997 and 8 March this year six remain unlawfully at large. The date of each of these escapes is:
	30 December 1998
	31 January 1999
	26 November 1999
	30 August 2000
	21 May 2001
	7 February 2002.

Jail Sentences

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are serving a sentence in jail in England and Wales for (a) driving while disqualified and (b) actual bodily harm.

Beverley Hughes: Data are not held centrally on those inmates serving sentences for driving while disqualified.
	The number of persons serving sentences for assault on 31 January 2002:
	
		
			 Offence Number of sentenced prisoners 
		
		
			 Other assault (ABH)(14) 190 
			 Assault occasioning GBH(15) 881 
			 All prisoners sentenced for offences of violence against the person. 11,933 
		
	
	(14) Actual Bodily Harm
	(15) Grievous Bodily Harm

Jail Sentences

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were committed to custody in 2000 for (a) driving while disqualified and (b) actual bodily harm; and what were the average sentence lengths.

Beverley Hughes: Information taken from the Home Office court proceedings database for 2000 showing the number of persons sentenced to immediate custody and average sentence length imposed for driving while disqualified and assaults occasioning actual bodily harm in England and Wales is given in the table.
	
		Persons sentenced(16) to immediate custody and the average sentence length imposed at all courts for driving while disqualified and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, England & Wales 2000(17)
		
			 Offence  Sentenced to immediate custody Average sentence length (months) 
		
		
			 Driving while disqualified 12,501 3.5 
			 Assault occasioning actual bodily harm 4,404 8.0 
		
	
	(16) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(17) Staffordshire police were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter for 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included in the figures, as they are considered sufficiently robust at this high level of analysis.

Jail Sentences

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) young offenders were sentenced to serve non-custodial penalties, (b) offenders were sentenced to serve custodial penalties and (c) offenders were sentenced to serve non-custodial penalties in the last 12 months broken down by the Metropolitan police divisional area in which they were arrested.

Beverley Hughes: Information collected centrally does not allow a breakdown by police division within the Metropolitan police area, nor does it show where an arrest takes place.
	The available information, from the Home Office court proceedings database, relating to 2000 is shown in the table. These data give for each inner London magistrates court and outer London borough (a) young offenders (aged 10–17) sentenced to non-custodial sentences, (b) adult offenders (aged 18 or over) sentenced to custodial sentences, and (c) adult offenders sentenced to non-custodial sentences.
	Information on court proceedings for 2001 will be available in the autumn.
	
		Young offenders sentenced to non-custodial penalties and adult offenders sentenced to custodial and non-custodial penalties in the Metropolitan police area, 2000.
		
			 Sentencing court Young offenders Adult offenders  
			 (Committing court in Crown Court cases) Non-custodial sentences Custodial sentences Non-custodial sentences 
		
		
			  Inner London magistrates courts(18)  
			 Bow Street 3 745 4,757 
			 Camberwell Green/ Tower Bridge 31 1,576 10,730 
			 Greenwich / Woolwich 19 1,407 7,362 
			 Highbury Corner 10 1,268 8,833 
			 Horseferry Road 15 1,419 10,808 
			 Marylebone 5 261 11,528 
			 South Western 18 607 10,730 
			 Thames 59 1,105 5,291 
			 West London 29 830 5,198 
			 Camberwell youth court 1,097 — — 
			 South-western youth court 501 — — 
			 Thames youth court 1,052 — — 
			 West London youth court 1,155 — — 
			 
			 Outer London boroughs
			 Barking and Dagenham 269 262 2,536 
			 Havering 204 223 3,238 
			 Redbridge 244 253 3,778 
			 Newham 467 577 7,114 
			 Waltham Forest 318 372 3,948 
			 Bexley 233 203 1,445 
			 Bromley 389 271 3,360 
			 Croydon 578 330 5,528 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 204 203 2,490 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 183 155 2,074 
			 Sutton 261 149 1,818 
			 Merton 276 233 3,341 
			 Ealing 321 325 2,920 
			 Barnet 247 312 6,390 
			 Brent 478 453 6,408 
			 Enfield 299 341 4,829 
			 Haringey 421 378 6,328 
			 Harrow 198 177 2,975 
			 Hillingdon 323 876 3,924 
			 Hounslow 436 333 4,951 
			 Other (not recorded) 16 174 175 
			 Total 10,359 15,818 154,807 
		
	
	(18) Information held centrally does not allow a breakdown of cases by borough in the inner London area.

Legal Proceedings

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken between arrest and sentencing of (a) young offenders and (b) adult offenders was in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: I have been asked to reply. 
	Information is not available in the exact form requested. Figures are available on the average time between arrest and sentence for 'persistent' young offenders in England and Wales, as used to monitor the Youth Justice Pledge to halve the average time from arrest to sentence. The latest data available shows that for those sentenced in magistrates courts and the Crown court in the 12 months ending 30 November 2001, the latest month available, the average arrest to sentence time was 77 days. For those sentenced in November 2001 the average arrest to sentence time was 67 days compared with the target of 71 days.
	From another source of information the time between arrest and sentence can be estimated for all young offenders sentenced in magistrates courts in England and Wales. For the 12 months ending September 2001, this estimate was 60 days. Similarly for adult offenders the time between charge (the closest available date to arrest) and sentence in magistrates courts was 58 days.

Young Offenders

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of young offenders broke the terms of their bail conditions in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Regular statistics on the number of young offenders who break their bail conditions are not available centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, Home Office research published in 1998 showed that juveniles breached their bail conditions in 30 per cent. of cases.
	Juvenile bail has been strengthened by the Youth Justice Board's bail support schemes and intensive supervision and surveillance programme. And curfews as a condition of bail, monitored electronically, will be available for 12 to 16-year-olds in six areas from 22 April 2002 and nationally from 1 June 2002.

National Probation Service

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the National Probation Service information system.

Beverley Hughes: A full breakdown of the costs of the National Probation Service information systems strategy can be found in the National Audit Office report published on 26 April 2001, HC401 Session 2000–01.

National Probation Service

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the business benefits derived from the introduction of the National Probation Service information system strategy.

Beverley Hughes: The National Probation Directorate will conduct a post-contract review of the National Probation Service information systems strategy (NPSISS) contract which will include consideration of benefits delivery to the Service.
	I can say in advance of this review that the qualitative benefits to the National Probation Service (NPS) resulting from NPSISS include; the introduction of a network infrastructure which covers 38 of the 42 probation areas; the ability for electronic communication between these areas, the Directorate, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation and the Research and Statistics Unit; and the deployment of Lotus Notes across the Service. In addition this technology has given probation staff the opportunity to develop information technology skills providing the NPS with a computer literate workforce.

National Probation Service

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many National Probation Services accredited programmes have been completed, broken down by probation area.

Beverley Hughes: This information is compiled on a quarterly basis. Figures for the first three quarters of 2001–02 (the most current information available) are:
	
		
			  Area Completions (core programme) 
		
		
			 West Midlands  
			 Staffordshire 4 
			 Warwickshire 3 
			 West Mercia 11 
			 West Midlands 106 
			 Regional Sub-Total 124 
			   
			 North-east  
			 County Durham 77 
			 Northumbria 243 
			 Teeside 82 
			 Regional Sub-Total 402 
			   
			 Eastern  
			 Bedfordshire 37 
			 Cambridgeshire 24 
			 Essex 88 
			 Hertfordshire 18 
			 Norfolk 37 
			 Suffolk 28 
			 Regional Sub-Total 232 
			   
			 North-west  
			 Cheshire 23 
			 Cumbria 27 
			 Greater Manchester 158 
			 Lancashire 166 
			 Merseyside 74 
			 Regional Sub-Total 448 
			   
			 East Midlands  
			 Derbyshire 36 
			 Leicestershire 30 
			 Lincolnshire 24 
			 Northamptonshire 20 
			 Nottinghamshire 18 
			 Regional Sub-Total 128 
			   
			 Yorkshire and Humberside  
			 Humberside 29 
			 South Yorkshire 20 
			 North Yorkshire 11 
			 West Yorkshire 86 
			 Regional Sub-Total 146 
			   
			 South-east  
			 Hampshire 50 
			 Kent 36 
			 Surrey 52 
			 Sussex 19 
			 Thames Valley 99 
			 Regional Sub-Total 256 
			   
			 South-west  
			 Avon and Somerset 109 
			 Devon and Cornwall 29 
			 Dorset 24 
			 Gloucestershire 17 
			 Wiltshire 19 
			 Regional Sub-Total 198 
			   
			 London total  
			 Total 353 
			 Wales  
			 Dyfed-Powys 9 
			 Gwent 13 
			 North Wales 12 
			 South Wales 15 
			 Regional Sub-Total 49 
			   
			 England and Wales  
			 Total 2,336

Road Accidents

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what duties the police have to carry out before an accident site can be cleared from (a) an A-road and (b) a motorway;
	(2)  what the average length of time was which it took for the police to clear an accident on (a) a motorway and (b) an A-road, in order to return the road to normal use;
	(3)  what the average response times were for the police to reach an accident on (a) a motorway and (b) an A-road in the last three years;
	(4)  what is the average length of time it took the police to complete all their official duties at an accident site on (a) an A-road and (b) a motorway in each of the last three years.

Bob Ainsworth: Information relating to the average time taken to reach accident sites on A-roads and motorways, to clear the site and to complete official duties are not recorded centrally. Individual forces have accident response time targets, of between 10 and 15 minutes. These targets are not uniform across the country to allow for differences in terrain, road infrastructure and police resources.
	The main duties performed by the police in dealing with road accidents do not vary substantially between A-roads and motorways. They are:
	(a) to gain access to the scene;
	(b) to make the scene safe through coning and signing;
	(c) to assist any injured party by effecting rescue or through first aid;
	(d) to arrange attendance of other agencies to assist in rescue and scene management;
	(e) to preserve the accident scene and undertake crash investigation when appropriate;
	(f) to manage the traffic around the accident scene;
	(g) to protect and recover property;
	(h) to manage the handover of scene management to the Highways Agency; and
	(i) where there are fatalities, to work in accordance with coroner's procedures in relation to the removal of bodies.

Experience Corps

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inquiries he has received from residents in the constituency of Buckingham about setting up experience corps in the last 12 months.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 13 March 2002
	I have not received any inquiries about the experience corps from residents of the constituency of Buckingham in the last 12 months.

Justice and Home Affairs Council (Scottish Representation)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason no devolved Administration Minister attended the 2411 European Union Council of Ministers (Justice and Home Affairs) meeting on 28 February, which particular matters of concern from the Scottish Executive were raised by the UK Government delegation; and what information is being provided by his Department to guarantee effective post-council scrutiny by the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 12 March 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 27 February 2002, reference number 38035.
	Arrangements allowing for the attendance of Ministers from the devolved administrations at Council of Ministers meetings are set out in the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues which supplements the Memorandum of Understanding between the devolved administrations and the United Kingdom (UK) Government. Discussions on the composition of the UK delegation to specific Council meetings are normally conducted on a confidential basis. The Concordat further provides that a single UK negotiating position will be formulated and advanced. It states that the role of Ministers and officials from the devolved administrations will be to support and advance the single UK negotiating line which they will have played a part in developing.
	I reported the outcome of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 28 February 2002, in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk, East (Mr. Connarty), Deputy Chairman of the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee on 15 March 2002, Official Report, column 1258W.
	Arrangements for post-Council scrutiny in Scotland are a matter for the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive. The Home Office provides information to Scottish Executive officials as part of that process.

Jury Trial

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to change the rights of defendants to elect a jury trial.

Keith Bradley: The removal of the defendant's rights to elect jury trial in either-way cases was one of the recommendations made by Lord Justice Auld in his Review of the Criminal Courts, and the matter remains under consideration, along with the rest of the Auld report.

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a national register of injunctions in cases of domestic violence.

Beverley Hughes: The ministerial group on domestic violence is considering this idea in consultation with practitioners. The Government's conclusions will be announced as soon as possible.

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken by his Department to improve domestic violence services for perpetrators and their partners; and if he will make a statement on the progress of the Probation Service domestic violence Pathfinder scheme.

Beverley Hughes: Two Pathfinder initiatives on domestic violence are under way. One is to pilot the Duluth Non-violent Men programme. The other is a major piece of research to identify the criminogenic needs of domestic violence perpetrators, in order to establish an evidence based way of addressing this type of offending.
	The research into the pilot phase of the Duluth programme is due to finish in October 2002, and a report on it will be available over the winter of 2002–03. The research project is due to be completed in August 2002.
	The National Probation Service is committed to completing the Pathfinders and to using the knowledge gained to review services to domestic violence perpetrators, in order to maximise reductions in abusive behaviour and develop services to enhance victim safety.

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the results of the Duluth domestic violence Pathfinder evaluation to be published.

Beverley Hughes: The pilots are due to finish in September 2002 and interim evaluations will be available approximately three months after that. Longer term evaluations linking the programme to reconvictions will follow subsequently, but it is not possible at this stage to say when they will be available.

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances the Duluth domestic violence Pathfinder will be rolled out before the results of the evaluation are known.

Beverley Hughes: The Duluth programme will not be rolled out nationally unless it can be demonstrated that it meets the criteria for accreditation laid down by the Joint Prison/Probation Accreditation Panel.

Drug-related Crime (Bristol)

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further schemes the social exclusion unit is planning for Bristol, with specific reference to policies which might help combat drug- related crime.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 13 March 2002
	There are a number of programmes in place in Bristol to tackle drug-related crime and anti-social behaviour.
	The Home Office fund a number of initiatives, some of which include:
	an Arrest Referral Scheme based at Trinity Road police station, specialising in providing for crack cocaine treatment;
	an 'Off the Street' initiative, working to disrupt the drug/sex market; and
	Avon and Somerset Constabulary's Operation Atrium, working to disrupt the supply system of importation of crack cocaine.
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) has also announced a policing priority area in Bristol which will help police tackle drug-related crime.

Overstayers

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who applied under the regularisation scheme for overstayers have had their cases (a) decided, (b) granted, (c) refused and (d) not yet considered; and what the target date for completing consideration of applications is.

Angela Eagle: A total of 17,120 applications were received by the closing date. In response to a ministerial commitment caseworking staff have been asked to consider applications in a phased way. Resources have been invested during the current financial year to sift all applications in order to speedily identify all those cases where leave to remain can be granted under existing policy concessions. Indications are that this target will be met, and so far approximately 1,200 cases have been granted indefinite leave to remain.
	During the next financial year (2002–03) more caseworkers and resources will be devoted to substantive consideration of the remaining cases. The target date for the consideration of all cases is April 2003.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are being held in Prison Service accommodation.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 14 March 2002
	The latest available information on the number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers relates to 29 December 2001. The total number of asylum seekers detained in prison establishments as at that date is given in the table.
	
		
			 Place of detention Asylum seekers detained as at 29 December 2001(19),(20) 
		
		
			 Dedicated Immigration Service wings(21) 295 
			 Other prison establishments(22) 170 
			 Total persons detained in prison establishments(22) 465 
		
	
	(19) Figures rounded to the nearest five.
	(20) Persons detained under Immigration Act powers who are recorded as having claimed asylum at some stage.
	(21) Persons detained at the dedicated Immigration Service wings at Haslar, Lindholme and Rochester.
	(22) Includes 125 persons detained under dual immigration and other powers.
	The temporary use of spaces in a number of local prisons ended in mid-January 2002, as did the use of the accommodation at Her Majesty's Prison Rochester. In addition, the dedicated detention facilities at Her Majesty's Prison Haslar and Her Majesty's Prison Lindholme were redesignated formally as immigration removal centres on 8 February 2002, thus requiring them to operate under detention centre rules rather than prison rules. These changes will not be reflected fully in the statistics until the information on Immigration Act detainees as at 30 March 2002 is published on 31 May 2002 on the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	Following the incident at Yarl's Wood removal centre on 14–15 February 2002 a number of detainees held at that centre and others have been transferred to prison accommodation. This is consistent with our policy on the use of prison accommodation for detainees who pose particular control and security risks.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he has changed his policy on his commitment not to house asylum seekers in prisons; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if asylum seekers who have not had an initial decision on their case are being held in Prison Service accommodation.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 14 March 2002
	Our policy on the detention of asylum seekers in prison remains as set out in our White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven—Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain". We made it clear that, although the routine use of prison accommodation for immigration detainees had ended, there would remain a need to hold small numbers of individuals, including asylum seekers, in prison for reasons of security. This would, for example, include individuals transferred to prison accommodation following the incident at Yarl's Wood removal centre on 14–15 February 2002. Such individuals would be identified on the basis of the security risk they are assessed to pose rather than on the progress of any asylum or other claim they may have made. As such, individuals who are assessed to pose a security risk and who have yet to receive a decision on their asylum application may be held in prison accommodation.

Asylum Seekers

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if asylum seekers with dependent children will be eligible for subsistence benefits for them and their children if they choose to live with family or friends in the UK under his immigration and asylum proposals.

Angela Eagle: The White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven—Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain" (Chapter 4 Paragraph 53) makes it clear that for the future, the case for abolishing the subsistence only option will be looked at and a power to allow this will be taken in forthcoming legislation. As yet we have not set any timetable for ending the subsistence only support option.
	Paragraph 4.33 of the White Paper makes it clear that asylum seekers who refuse the offer of a place in one of the accommodation centres being trialled will not be offered any alternative forms of support. There is no reason why these proposals should lead to greater destitution among asylum seekers. We will be offering both accommodation and subsistence support to those who need it.

Asylum Seekers

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Luff) of 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 461W, on asylum seeker accommodation centres, when the final criteria for selection of the four accommodation centres will be decided; who will draw up the final criteria; and how this information will be announced.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Luff) on 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 718W.

Asylum Seekers

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry) of 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 160W, on asylum seeker accommodation centres, what education facilities will be made available to asylum seekers; and what role (a) local schools, (b) colleges and (c) other education institutions will be expected to take in the provision of education.

Angela Eagle: The trial accommodation centres will offer education facilities. We are working with key stakeholders to establish the range of facilities that will be available to children on-site and what if any role local schools, colleges and other educational institutions will be expected to take.

Asylum Seekers

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are detained; and of these how many are (a) awaiting an initial decision on their asylum claim and (b) awaiting an appeal.

Angela Eagle: The latest available information on the number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers relates to 29 December 2001. As at that date, 1,410 persons (to the nearest five) were being detained who had sought asylum at some stage.
	I regret that the requested information on how many of these persons were awaiting an initial decision on their asylum claim and how many were awaiting an appeal on 29 December 2001, is not available and could be obtained only by examining individual case files at disproportionate cost.
	Information on Immigration Act detainees as at 30 March 2002 will be published on 31 May 2002 on the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will serve an asylum seeker's appeal dismissal when it is served personally on the other parties and the appellant's representative, if he has one, under the rules that came into force on 7 January.

Angela Eagle: An official of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) serves the appeal determination, either in person, by post or by facsimile. If the asylum seeker's representative is present at the time of personal service, they will receive simultaneous notification from the official serving the determination on their client. If the representative is not present, it is usual practice for an IND official to provide notification, normally by facsimile, within 24 hours.

Asylum Seekers

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been dispersed to areas in Scotland in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority; and what percentage of these have had their asylum applications approved.

Angela Eagle: The only cluster area to which the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) disperses asylum seekers in Scotland is Glasgow.
	As at the end of December 2001, 4,750 asylum seekers (including dependants) were being supported in NASS accommodation in Glasgow. The cumulative number dispersed to Glasgow over the last 12 months is not currently available.
	This information broken down by local authority is not currently available.
	NASS does not currently hold statistics on the asylum status of supported asylum seekers.

Commission for Racial Equality

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for making Commissioner appointments to the Commission for Racial Equality.

David Blunkett: I am pleased to announce that I have today appointed seven commissioners for the Commission for Racial Equality.
	The appointments are:
	Khurshid Ahmed, who is currently a non-executive director of Dudley Group of Hospitals National Health Service Trust;
	Ian Barr, who will represent the interests of the Confederation of British Industry and is the co-founder and managing director of Astar Management Consultants Ltd;
	Jagdish Singh Gundara, who is currently Professor of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London;
	Kay Hampton, who will represent Scottish interests and is currently a lecturer in sociology at Glasgow Caledonian University;
	Gloria Mills, who will represent the interests of the Trade Unions Congress and is currently the Director of Equalities at UNISON;
	Cherry Short, who will continue to represent Welsh interests at the Commission, and
	Sarah Spencer who is the Director of Citizenship & Governance at the Institute for Public Policy Research.
	The appointments will initially be for four years.
	The role of the commission is central to the drive for securing equality for all our citizens, and cohesion between diverse communities of our country. I want the commission to make a real difference to community relations in the years ahead.
	In addition to these seven new appointments I will be recruiting two further commissioners with significant experience of working in the community to help support the commission's priority of building links with communities and particularly with young people.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Census (1901)

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much of the work to transcribe the 1901 Census returns on to computer was carried out outside the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: QinetiQ Ltd. appointed Enterprise and Supply Services (ESS) to undertake the transcription of the data from the 1901 Census returns. A proportion of this work was sub-contracted by ESS after full competitive tendering to a commercial data input company based in India and Sri Lanka (Hays Document Management). The proportion of transcription work undertaken outside the United Kingdom was 78 per cent.

Social Diversity

Ben Chapman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how he proposes to ensure social diversity among JPs.

Michael Wills: I know that my hon. Friend is concerned about this issue. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is determined that the social composition of the magistracy reflects the community it serves, subject to all magistrates fulfilling the merit criteria for appointment. He will consider any suggestions from hon. Members how this can be achieved. Separated the national strategy for the recruitment of magistrates will supplement the efforts already being made by the Lord Chancellor's local advisory committees to deliver this aim. It will be published in the spring. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss any ideas he may have for ensuring social diversity.

Magistrates Courts

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on his plans to reform the structure of the magistrates court system.

Michael Wills: Sir Robin Auld's Review of the Criminal Courts in England and Wales makes wide-ranging recommendations in respect of the magistrates courts. The period for comment closed on 31 January. The Government have taken no decisions on the report and is now considering the recommendations in detail, taking account of the comments received. The Government will announce its conclusions by way of a White Paper in the spring.

Consultants

Edward Davey: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library copies of the consultancy work purchased by the Greater London Magistrates Court Authority in drawing up their Strategic Plan, 2002 to 2006; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library copies of the consultancy work purchased by the Greater London Magistrates' Court Authority in drawing up their proposals to close the Magistrates court at the Guildhall, Kingston-upon-Thames; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  which consultants have been employed by the Greater London Magistrates Courts Authority since it was established; how much has been spent by the GLMCA on consultants; and what the remits were for each of the consultancy projects the GLMCA has procured.

Michael Wills: Decisions on the number, location and future of magistrates' courts in the Greater London area are for the Greater London Magistrates Courts Authority to determine, in consultation with its local paying authorities. The issues raised in these three questions are, therefore, matters for that authority.

Constituency Duties (Data Protection)

Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  if he will take steps to make available to all hon. Members a pro forma standard consent form, for use in discharging their constituency duties, giving legal authority and protection when personal information has to be made available to an hon. Member by a statutory body;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to review data protection legislation to allow personal information held by statutory bodies to be shared with hon. Members strictly in connection with their duties in helping constituents.

Michael Wills: I am aware of the hon. Members' concern about the effect of the Data Protection Act 1998 on their constituency work. In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House, I am considering what changes might be needed to the present arrangements.

Court Sittings

Edward Davey: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the monthly court sitting hours for (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001 for the magistrates courts in (i) Kingston-upon-Thames, (ii) Merton, (iii) Richmond- upon-Thames, (iv) Sutton and (v) Croydon.

Michael Wills: Court sitting hours are collected annually for the Magistrates Courts Committees (MCC) areas rather than individual courts. The figures for the five MCC areas in the question are contained in the table. Figures for 2001–02 are not yet available for the single entity of the Greater London Magistrates Courts Authority (GLMCA) which was formed in April 2001 and incorporates the previous 22 Greater London MCCs including the five courts in question.
	
		Court sitting hours
		
			  1998(23) April 1999 to March 2000(23) April 2000 to March 2001 
		
		
			 Kingston upon Thames 2,915 2,960 2,718 
			 Merton 3,426 3,670 4,148 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,920 2,606 3,134 
			 Sutton 2,622 2,628 2,780 
			 Croydon 7,273 6,658 7,098 
		
	
	(23) At the end of 1998, the system was amended to collection based upon financial rather than calendar years.

Community Court Orders

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many warrants in respect of breach of community court orders have been outstanding for (a) less than 12 months, (b) 12 months to two years, (c) two to three years, (d) three to four years, (e) four to five years and (f) five years or more.

Michael Wills: Lead responsibility for execution of community penalty breach warrants was transferred from the police to Magistrates Courts Committees on 1 April 2001. Prior to the transfer, statistics on community penalty breach warrants were not routinely kept. LCD is now collecting data but complete figures are not yet available. Of the community penalty breach warrants issued since the transfer, 10,034 were outstanding as at 28 December 2001.
	As a result of the transfer, the courts now control the whole enforcement process and can give the work higher priority. From April 2002, the courts will be given almost £10 million extra—ring-fenced for enforcement. I have also announced challenging performance targets for next year which will highlight performance on community penalty breach warrants.

Persistent Offenders

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what powers are available to the courts to detain persistent offenders under 16 years who are (a) charged with and (b) guilty of non-violent offences; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: The decision whether to grant bail or not is a judicial decision taken within the statutory framework provided by the Bail Act 1976. The court may refuse to grant bail where it finds there are substantial grounds to believe that one or more of the statutory exceptions in the Act apply. Where the court finds such grounds and refuses bail, it must then decide where the youth shall be remanded. The courts' powers and the restrictions on those powers are set out in section 23 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969
	The courts' powers to order custody in respect of persistent offenders under 16 who are convicted of non-violent offences are set out in the Powers of Criminal Courts Acts (Sentencing) Act 2000. Section 100 sets out the courts' powers to impose a detention and training order of up to two years. Section 91 sets out the Crown Court's powers to order a youth to be detained for certain serious offences for a period not exceeding the maximum term of imprisonment with which the offence is punishable in the case of an adult aged 21 or over. These powers are subject to the general restrictions in section 79 of the 2000 Act on imposing discretionary custodial sentences.

Territorial Forces

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many members of staff of her Department are members of the Territorial forces; and if her Department has a strategy to encourage members of staff to become members of the Territorial forces.

Rosie Winterton: We have staff who are members of the Territorial forces, although we keep no central record of numbers. We actively support members by providing eight working days paid special leave for training (of 15 days or more), as well as unpaid leave if they are required to undertake a period of mobilised service.

Magistrates Courts

Edward Davey: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  what indicators and methods his Department uses to measure the satisfaction of magistrates courts' users; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what measures his Department uses to assess the quality of service and facilities provided by a magistrates courthouse; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: Quality of service in magistrates courts areas is assessed bi-annually by questionnaire and survey. Users are asked to rate their satisfaction with court facilities and the information given to them. The methodology and results are explained fully in LCD Information Bulletin 1/2002, copies of which are lodged in the Library of the House. This latest bulletin, issued on 7 March, covers the survey results for 2001.

Magistrates Courts

Edward Davey: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what performance measures his Department uses to judge the financial efficiency of magistrates courts; what the performance of each courthouse against those measures was in Greater London in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: Cost per unit of weighted caseload is the financial efficiency performance indicator for magistrates courts. This indicator uses the gross expenditure in a year divided by the total unitary value of completed caseload. The measure is collected and assessed at the administrative level of the magistrates courts committees (MCCs), as set out in the table for 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01. Figures for 2001–02 are not yet available, and when they are produced they will only be available for the single entity of the Greater London Magistrates Courts Authority, (GLMCA), which was formed in April 2001 and incorporates the previous 22 Greater London MCCs.
	
		Cost per unit of weighted caseload -- £
		
			   1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 35.08 36.93 31.91 
			 Barnet 37.73 50.58 45.53 
			 Bexley 35.42 34.91 38.32 
			 Brent 44.35 50.59 48.90 
			 Bromley 42.51 53.20 45.12 
			 City of London 57.37 55.88 58.75 
			 Croydon 27.83 35.13 37.63 
			 Ealing 33.10 34.90 38.88 
			 Enfield 35.59 37.16 25.44 
			 Haringey 35.75 34.79 35.57 
			 Harrow 27.99 24.42 30.51 
			 Havering 34.76 37.30 38.83 
			 Hillingdon 31.43 39.00 35.20 
			 Hounslow 40.09 47.94 48.07 
			 Inner London area 47.78 53.81 48.05 
			 Kingston upon Thames 38.42 46.94 43.87 
			 Merton 39.24 41.03 72.29 
			 Newham 39.02 21.93 42.73 
			 Redbridge 35.36 37.99 40.35 
			 Richmond upon Thames 44.91 44.41 43.62 
			 Sutton 41.31 50.59 48.52 
			 Waltham Forest 33.31 39.61 39.04 
			 Greater London average 43.90 47.54 44.73

WORK AND PENSIONS

Rehabilitation Leave

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received on the introduction of rehabilitation leave after trauma or sudden infirmity.

Maria Eagle: At their conference on 7 March the Royal National Institute for the Blind, in their employment strategy document Work Matters, raised the issue of disability leave to allow people losing their sight to get time off work for intensive rehabilitation, mobility training and the opportunity to learn new skills.
	The Disability Rights Task Force considered this and concluded that the reasonable adjustment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act provide adequate arrangements for employees affected. We are continuing to work with the Disability Rights Commission and employers to promote the retention and rehabilitation of people who become disabled.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2002, Official Report, columns 851–52W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from his Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. From May 1997 to March 2001 there have been no reported cases of equipment stolen containing protectively marked data.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whom he has appointed to his Regulation Scrutiny Group; and what is its remit;
	(2)  what plans he has to introduce changes to the housing benefit and council tax benefit schemes twice a year.

Malcolm Wicks: The Regulation Scrutiny Group is made up of officials from the Department and representatives appointed by the local authority associations. Its remit is to consider proposed changes to housing benefit and council tax benefit and to make recommendations on the timing of such changes, taking account of local authorities' capacity to implement them.
	We have already made a commitment to the local authority associations that changes to regulations will only be introduced in April and October of each year apart from in very exceptional circumstances. This, combined with the Regulation Scrutiny Group, will go a long way to improving the handling of essential changes to the housing benefit and council tax benefit schemes.

Incapacity Benefit

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many claimants for incapacity benefit underwent a medical examination in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001; and at what cost to public funds;
	(2)  what the policy of his Department is towards claimants for incapacity benefit who do not attend an appointment for a medical examination;
	(3)  how many claimants for incapacity benefit did not attend the medical examination arranged for them in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001; and at what cost to public funds.

Nick Brown: People who have been receiving incapacity benefit for more than 28 weeks normally undergo a personal capability assessment (PCA). The purpose of the PCA is to determine that a person meets the threshold of incapacity to continue receiving benefit. In addition, in selected pilot areas, examining doctors are able to produce a capability report for the person's personal adviser. The capability report helps those who wish to return to work by shifting the emphasis from disability to ability.
	As part of the PCA process, a person may be called, where appropriate, to attend a medical examination. The importance of keeping an appointment along with the potential consequences of not attending are clearly highlighted in the supporting documentation sent to the person.
	When a person fails to attend an appointment he or she is asked to provide written details of their reasons for non-attendance. The reasons, along with any other relevant information, are presented to a decision maker for consideration of whether there was good cause for not attending the appointment. The good cause provision acts as a safeguard for vulnerable people and those with genuine difficulties.
	A decision maker decides good cause by considering all the evidence and applying the law to the facts of the claim. Each case is considered on merit and all relevant circumstances, including the person's state of health, are taken into account. If it is decided to withdraw entitlement, then the person can ask for the decision to be reconsidered or referred to an independent appeal tribunal.
	The available information is in the tables.
	
		Number of medical examinations
		
			 Year Number of medical examinations Cost of incapacity benefit examinations (£) 
		
		
			 1999(24) 432,210 22,004,978 
			 2000 372,934 18,868,786 
			 2001 455,454 (25)28,654,598 
		
	
	(24) Figures for the number of medical examinations performed are not available until the beginning of the 1999–2000 financial year. Therefore, figures for the period 1 January to 31 March 1999 have been estimated.
	(25) A restructuring of prices took place during 2001. As a result of this, the cost of incapacity benefit examinations increased, but this was offset by a reduction in the cost of Incapacity Benefit scrutiny reports.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Volumes and costs include severe disablement allowance.
	Source:
	Figures are taken from IMPACT 100 per cent. counts.
	
		Number of incapacity benefit recipients who failed to attend a medical examination for incapacity benefit
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1999 132,314 
			 2000 124,356 
			 2001 148,357 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. The Department only pays SchlumbergerSema for completed cases. The administrative costs associated with failed appointments are not separately available.
	Source:
	Figures are taken from a 100 per cent. count by SchlumbergerSema Medical Services of Incapacity Benefit (including Severe Disablement Allowance) customers who fail to attend a medical examination appointment.

Press Office

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department's press office have received (a) termination and (b) redundancy payments in each of the last four years.

Nick Brown: None.

Pensioners Tax Credit

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the impact of the pensioners tax credit on pensioners in receipt of modest occupational pensions who are being taxed.

Ian McCartney: Pension credit, which is not a tax credit, will have a positive impact on the small proportion of recipients with modest occupational pensions who also pay tax, as pension credit itself is tax free.

Retired People (Tooting)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many retired people in the Tooting constituency are in receipt of the minimum income guarantee.

Nick Brown: The information requested is in the table.
	
		Minimum income guarantee for pensioners, in the parliamentary constituency of Tooting, as at November 2001
		
			   Total(26) Claimants Partners 
		
		
			   
			 All 2,900 2,500 400 
			 State pension age 2,600 2,200 300 
			 Working age 400 200 100 
		
	
	(26) Claimants and partners
	Source:
	Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, November 2001

Jobcentre Plus

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will direct the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus to consent to referring the current dispute with the Public and Commercial Services Union to ACAS for arbitration.

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the PCS Union has agreed to refer the dispute over safety at work in the Benefits Agency and jobcentres to arbitration; and what the view is of Her Majesty's Government on this process.

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the recent dispute between the Public and Commercial Services Union and the Benefits Agency over screening in benefits offices will be referred to ACAS; and if he will make a statement.

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason in the course of the industrial dispute over safety in Jobcentre Plus the involvement of ACAS has been specifically excluded as a means to bring this dispute to a resolution.

Nick Brown: holding answers 5 and 6 February 2002
	While conciliation and arbitration can be of value, it would not be appropriate in this instance to refer the current dispute to ACAS as the Public and Commercial Services Union has proposed. The fundamental principles underpinning the delivery of Jobcentre Plus are at the heart of the welfare modernisation and customer service improvement to which the Government are committed. They are not ones about which it is appropriate to seek arbitration.

Jobcentre Plus

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will list the (a) subject matter, (b) dates and (c) times of (i) discussions, (ii) telephone conversations and (iii) meetings, (A) he and (B) the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus has had between 1 January and 28 February with (1) Mark Serwtoka, (2) Barry Reamsbottom, (3) Alan Churchyard and (4) Eddie Spence;
	(2)  if he will list the (a) subject matter, (b) individuals involved, (c) dates and (d) times of (i) discussions, (ii) telephone conversations and (iii) meetings he has had with the TUC in connection with the current trade dispute between his Department and the PCS Union;
	(3)  if he will list the dates and times of discussions, telephone conversations and meetings (a) he, (b) the Chief Executive, (c) Kevin White and (d) other senior managers in his Department have had with the PCS Union with regard to the Jobcentre Plus industrial dispute over safety; and which PCS Union senior officials those meetings and conversations were held with, between 4 September 2001 and 1 March 2002;
	(4)  what the overall cost arising from industrial dispute over safety in Jobcentre Plus is; and what expenditure has resulted.

Nick Brown: Managers have had over 60 hours of discussions with PCS. There have been numerous other contacts and approaches but we have been asked to treat these as confidential.
	We estimate that around £5.5 million has been saved in staff salaries since September.

Pensions

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to promote understanding of the importance of pension provision among young people.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government are committed to promoting the importance of pension provision to young people—as well as other groups.
	The Government's pension education strategy includes providing information to people about their pension provision through pension forecasts, raising awareness of retirement planning through a publicity campaign. This includes activity aimed at young people, such as: advertising in publications and during TV programmes whose readership or viewers include a high number of young people; specific direct marketing activity for young people such as a targeted newspaper insert and direct mail to young people, and testing new ways to get information out to the public, for example through an interactive digital television pilot—due to launch this spring, which will have a section dedicated to a younger audience.
	In addition, my Department continues to liaise with other Government Departments, the Financial Services Authority, employers, private pension providers and other organisations and groups to improve the way we provide pension information to consumers—including young people.

Pensions

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how much exists in purchase pension pots that were annuitised in each of the last five years; and how much he expects will be annuitised in the next five years.

Maria Eagle: The information is not available as requested.
	The latest available information on the value of annuities sold is in the tables. This information is from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), and the values quoted are in cash terms prices. The figures are for all annuities purchased—which will include those purchased by pension funds which are not money purchase. However most annuities will have been sold to money purchase occupational pension funds and to individuals converting personal pensions.
	We do not have any information as to how much we expect will be annuitised in the next five years.
	
		Value of new annuities (in cash terms)
		
			 Year  £ million 
		
		
			 1996 3,394 
			 1997 3,944 
			 1998 5,755 
			 1999 5,716 
			 2000 5,708 
		
	
	Source:
	Figures taken from ABI publication.
	Quarterly press release—long term annual figures.

Pension Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the marginal benefit withdrawal rate will be from October 2003 for a pensioner on the pension credit who also receives (a) council tax benefit, (b) housing benefit and (c) council tax benefit and housing benefit.

Ian McCartney: The information requested is shown in the following tables. The tables show the marginal deduction rates applied to people under minimum income guarantee or pension credit regimes who also receive any combination of housing and council tax benefits.
	Pension credit recipients with income above the guarantee credit who are also entitled to housing and council tax benefits will experience higher withdrawal rates than under the minimum income guarantee. However, these people will see gains from the introduction of the savings credit, the fairer treatment of capital and the extension of the applicable amounts in housing and council tax benefit due to our proposals for pension credit. This means that a single pensioner over 65 with marginal deduction rates of 91 per cent. will gain at least £11 a week (couples will gain at least £15.81). It also means that almost 1.9 million pensioner households will get more help, or get help for the first time, with their rent or council tax.
	
		Table 1: Marginal deduction rates facing a single pensioner aged 65 or over, and couples where one member is over 65(27)
		
			  Illustrative weekly income (£) Percentage  
			 Marginal deduction rates For singles For couples Council tax benefit (a) Housing benefit (b) Council tax benefit and housing benefit (c) 
		
		
			 Minimum income guarantee 0–100 0–154 100 100 100 
			  100+ 154+ 20 65 85 
			   
			 Pension credit 0–77 0–123 100 100 100 
			  77–100 123–154 40 40 40 
			  100–135 154–200 52 79 91 
			  135+ 200+ 20 65 85 
		
	
	(27) Excludes income tax
	
		Table 2: Marginal deduction rates facing a single pensioner aged 60–64, and couples where both are under 65 but one member is aged 60–64(28)
		
			  Illustrative weekly income (£) Percentage  
			 Marginal deduction rates  For singles For couples Council tax benefit (a) Housing benefit (b) Council tax benefit and housing benefit (c) 
		
		
			 Minimum income guarantee 0–100 0–154 100 100 100 
			  100+ 154+ 20 65 85 
			   
			 Pension credit 0–77 0–123 100 100 100 
			  77–100 123–154 100 100 100 
			  100–135 154–200 20 65 85 
			  135+ 200+ 20 65 85 
		
	
	(28) Excludes income tax
	
		Table 3: Gains for single pensioners over 65 due to the introduction of pension credit -- £
		
			 Illustrative weekly income for singles Pension credit Council tax benefit (a) Housing benefit (b) Council tax benefit and housing benefit (c) 
		
		
			 0–77 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 77–100 0.00–13.80 0.00–13.80 0.00–13.80 0.00–13.80 
			 100–135 0–13.80 2.76–13.80 8.97–13.80 11.73–13.80 
			 135+ 0.00 2.76 8.97 11.73 
		
	
	
		Table 4: Gains for pensioner couples where one member of the couple is over 65 due to the introduction of pension credit -- £
		
			 Illustrative weekly income for couples Pension credit Council tax benefit (a) Housing benefit (b) Council tax benefit and housing benefit (c) 
		
		
			 0–123 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 123–154 0.00–18.60 0.00–18.60 0.00–18.60 0.00–18.60 
			 154–200 0–18.60 3.72–18.60 12.09–18.60 15.81–18.60 
			 200+ 0.00 3.72 12.09 15.81 
		
	
	Notes for all tables:
	1. It is assumed that a pensioner with HB and/or CTB entitlement was entitled to these benefits before the introduction of pension credit.
	2. Although single pensioners with income under £77 and pensioner couples with income under £123 face 100 per cent. marginal deduction rates their final income will be raised to the amount of the guarantee credit as a result of the introduction of pension credit.
	3. Tables 3 and 4 show gains due only to the savings credit and the extension of the applicable amounts in housing and council tax benefits by the maximum savings credit. Some pensioners will gain more because of the changes to the treatment of capital and the more generous income assessment.

Mental Health

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase the level of in- patient care for those spending over a year in mental health hospitals above the present weekly allowance.

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions at what level the personal allowance for mental health patients requiring in-patient care is set; and if he plans to review it.

Maria Eagle: There are no plans to change the amount by which benefits are reduced for hospital in-patients who have been in hospital for more than 52 weeks.
	The hospital downrating rules prevent double provision from public funds as the publicly funded NHS maintains people while they stay in hospital as well as providing free treatment. Social security maintenance benefits are also paid from state funds. They are therefore not paid in full indefinitely where a person is in a NHS hospital and having their day to day living expenses met through the NHS.
	The double provision principle is a key cornerstone of the system of national insurance introduced over 50 years ago.
	However, we also recognise that people have on-going financial commitments while in hospital, and although we consider the six week rule strikes a fair balance between what the state should provide financially and the provision individuals should make for themselves, we have none the less decided to extend the period before benefits are downrated by a further seven weeks to the 13 week stage. This will mean that people previously affected by the six week rule will be able to keep their benefits untouched if their period of stay in hospital is under 13 weeks. Benefit is generally then not downrated again until after 52 weeks.
	Benefit is adjusted in this way because, generally speaking, the national health service will have assumed the responsibility of providing for patients who have spent more than 52 weeks in hospital. The personal requirements allowance is regarded as a reasonable amount to cover small personal items not already provided by the hospital.

Incomes

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the (a) mean and (b) median income of (i) single men aged 65 to 74 years, (ii) single men aged 75 years and over, (iii) single women aged 65 to 74 years and (iv) single women aged 75 years and over, (v) pensioner couples aged 65 to 74 years and (vi) pensioner couples aged 75 years and over for the latest year for which figures are available.

Ian McCartney: The information requested is given in the table.
	
		Net weekly income before housing costs 1999–2000
		
			   Mean Median 
		
		
			 Single men aged 65 to 74 years 183 134 
			 Single men aged 75 years and over 162 131 
			 Single women aged 65 to 74 years 144 123 
			 Single women aged 75 years and over 134 121 
			 Couples aged 65 to 74 years 299 234 
			 Couples aged 75 years and over 245 201 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Income is defined here as net income before housing costs.
	2. Amounts are in £ per week at July 1999 prices and are rounded to the nearest £1.
	3. A pensioner couple is defined as a married or cohabiting couple.
	4. Pensioner couples are allocated to age categories according to the age of the head. The head of a couple is defined as the man.
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey 1999–2000

Departmental Advertising

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advertising campaigns his Department is (a) running and (b) planning for the future; what the committed spend on marketing is for the 2001–02 financial year; and what estimate has been made of the final cost of all his Department's marketing in the 2001–02 financial year.

Nick Brown: We are currently (February/ March) running the following advertising campaigns: Pensions education, Inherited SERPS, New Deal 25 Plus, and DDA awareness.
	Between October 2001 and February 2002 the following campaigns ran: New Deal 25 Plus, Targeting Benefit Fraud, New Deal for Disabled People, Winter Fuel Payment awareness, Pensions education.
	Major campaigns costing over £250,000 for the financial year 2001–02 are as follows:
	New Deal for Disabled People—£850,000: A national campaign to launch NDDP, covering press advertising in national and regional titles, supported by a helpline, website and publicity material.
	New Deal 50 Plus—£500,000: A regional campaign to encourage more of the over-50s into work and to increase their awareness of the local help available.
	New Deal 25 Plus—£500,000: A national campaign to inform the public about changes to the programme through radio advertising, a video and printed materials, supported by research.
	Age Positive—£500,000: PR (including direct mail and partnerships with regional newspapers, sponsoring an award, exhibitions, research and promotional material) to raise employers' awareness of the business benefits of employing an age-diverse work force.
	Work Incentives—£450,000: Advertising campaign on local radio to raise awareness of the range of financial initiatives available to those moving from benefits into employment if they meet the qualifying criteria.
	Pensions Education—£7,520,000: A publicity campaign to encourage people to save for their retirement and understand the pension options available to them.
	State Second Pension—£500,000: Development and implementation of publicity to inform carers about how new state pension rules could help them—linked to the overall pensions education campaign.
	Pensioners' Guide—£1,058,000: Production and distribution of a guide on cross-Government help and services for pensioners.
	Winter Fuel Payments—£716,000: Information for people aged 60 plus and advisers about winter fuel payments and activity reminding them to claim and telling them how to claim for winter 2001 and for relevant previous winters.
	Changes to rules on inherited SERPS—£453,000: Publicity about the change to the rules on inheriting the State Earnings-Related Pensions Scheme.
	Targeting Fraud—£9,000,000: A national advertising campaign on television, radio, press and posters to deter dishonest behaviour, reinforced by regional press advertising showing that benefit fraudsters are regularly caught and punished.
	Disability Discrimination Act Awareness—£3,000,000: A national, regional and trade press advertising campaign to raise the public's awareness of the DDA and specifically to encourage service providers to ensure that disabled people have access to their services.
	Other activity is being considered but nothing has been finalised.
	Allocations, and therefore spend, are not set in stone at the beginning of the financial year, but remain flexible throughout the year responding to need as and when required.

Mr. Tom Mann

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will issue advice to decision-makers for (a) attendance allowance and (b) disability living allowance to give full weight to the definition of virtually unable to walk as given in Cassinelli v. Secretary of State for Social Services, Times Law report 6.12.91, following the Chairman's ruling on 11 February at the reconstituted tribunal set up by the Sutton Benefits Agency office concerning Mr. Tom Mann.

Maria Eagle: The 1991 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Cassinelli v. Secretary of State for Social Services was concerned only with the meaning of the test of "severe discomfort" in relation to whether the manner in which a person could make progress on foot out of doors was so limited that he could be taken to be virtually unable to walk for the purpose of entitlement to mobility allowance. The court held that the test is one of severe discomfort rather than of severe pain or distress. This is not relevant to (a) attendance allowance, for which entitlement depends upon a severely disabled person's need for personal attention, supervision or watching over from another person; but (b) it continues to be relevant to the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance, which replaced mobility allowance in 1992, and the guidance to decision makers about that component in the Decision Makers Guide cites the meaning of "severe discomfort" given in the Cassinelli judgment as the one to be followed when considering whether a person is virtually unable to walk.

Legal Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what legal costs have been incurred by his Department in each of the last four years.

Nick Brown: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department for Social Security and parts of the Department for Education and Employment.
	Legal costs for the new Department are not yet available for the current financial year (2001–02).

New Deal

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make additional funding available to New Deal providers to help trainees with (a) basic skills and (b) English speaking.

Nick Brown: Long-term unemployed people who need help with basic skills or the English language are identified by personal advisers during the Gateway period of the New Deal. Those with a need can then be referred to help within the Gateway, including short basic skills courses. People who need more intensive, longer- term assistance are offered help through the Education and Training New Deal option which can provide courses lasting up to 26 weeks.
	Basic skills or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training is provided in response to an individual's needs. The Employment Service contracts locally with New Deal providers to meet the needs of their particular client group and provides sufficient funding for this to be achieved.
	The help provided through the New Deal is an important part of the Government's strategy to improve literacy and numeracy skills. A new curriculum in ESOL was launched in February and will further improve the quality of language provision available to those who need it. We will be working to embed the new curriculum into our employment programmes.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of pensioners who are entitled to support claim the minimum income guarantee.

Nick Brown: Estimates of the proportion of pensioners who are entitled to and claim the minimum income guarantee are published in Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up. A copy of the latest publication covering financial year 1999–2000 is in the Library. Estimates of take-up of the minimum income guarantee are subject to greater uncertainty than other published take-up estimates; research is under way to improve the precision of estimates.
	The take-up campaign launched in May 2000 attracted over 127,000 successful claims for the minimum income guarantee.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of pensioners in (a) the North Norfolk constituency and (b) England claim the minimum income guarantee.

Nick Brown: holding answer 15 March 2002
	The information requested is in the table.
	
		MIG claimants in North Norfolk and England by percentage relevant population—November 2001
		
			 Area Number of MIG claimants (Thousand) Percentage population aged 60 and over 
		
		
			 North Norfolk parliamentary constituency 3,400 — 
			 North Norfolk LA 3,400 11.0 
			 England 1,459,200 14.3 
		
	
	
		
			 Area Number of MIG beneficiaries (Thousand) Percentage population aged 60 and over 
		
		
			 North Norfolk parliamentary constituency 3,900 — 
			 North Norfolk LA 3,900 12.5 
			 England 1,622,800 15.9

Minimum Income Guarantee

Irene Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioner households are benefiting from the minimum income guarantee.

Nick Brown: As at November 20001, there were 1,741,300 pensioner households benefiting from the minimum income guarantee in Great Britain.
	Source:
	Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, November 2001.

State Second Pension

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if self-employed people will be required to join the State Second Pension.

Ian McCartney: As with SERPS self-employed people cannot join the State Second Pension because they do not pay class 1 national insurance contributions.

Civil Servants

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new entrants to the civil service employed in his Department were aged 50 years and over in each of the last five years.

Nick Brown: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department for Social Security and parts of the Department for Education and Employment.
	The statistics relating to the number of staff aged 50 or over on their recruitment to the new Department are not yet available for the current financial year (2001–02).

Unemployed People (Lanarkshire)

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to help unemployed people in Lanarkshire over 50 years of age back to work.

Nick Brown: People over 50-years-old on benefits can also take advantage of the help and support available through our New Deal 50 plus. By the end of January over 61,000 people had moved off benefits and into work nationally through New Deal 50 plus and 906 people have been helped into work in the Lanarkshire Employment Service district.
	We have made a firm commitment to tackle the high levels of inactivity among people over 50 by increasing choice and opportunities for employment. We are doing this by setting the standard for non-ageist approaches to recruitment, training and development, promotion, redundancy and retirement through the Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment.
	Our policies are having a positive effect and the national employment rate of older workers has risen for the fourth year running.

Pension-related Benefits

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the increase in the MIG per pensioner if money accrued through delaying the payment of pension-related benefits by increasing the retirement age to 67 years were put into funds for the minimum income guarantee.

Maria Eagle: We have no plans to increase the state pension age to 67. It is not possible to estimate how such a change would affect the MIG in future as it depends upon the level of MIG at that time, on pensioner income growth (which itself is affected by the increase in retirement age) and on pension credit that is being introduced in October 2003.

Occupational Pensions

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department collates on the value of occupational pensions available (a) in payment to current pensioners, (b) as assets for future pensioners and (c) in connection with the overall incomes of retired people.

Nick Brown: The Department of Work and Pensions collects information on the value of occupational pensions available in payment to current pensioners and in connection with the overall income of retired people via the Family Resources Survey. The Family Resources Survey (FRS) is a continuous survey, interviewing approximately 25,000 private households in Great Britain each year. The FRS asks a wide range of questions about people's incomes and other living circumstances, including sources of pension income.
	Information on assets of private pension funds, including occupational pensions, is published in the National Statistics MQ5 publication. The Office for National Statistics have stated that they expect to publish figures in April.

Benefit Application Forms

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to simplify benefit application forms, with particular reference to (a) elderly and (b) disabled claimants.

Maria Eagle: All our forms are constantly reviewed and regularly researched. We frequently adopt suggestions made by members of the public as well as organisations such as the Social Security Advisory Committee.
	A radically changed minimum income guarantee (MIG) form was introduced last October after consultation with pensioners and their organisations. The new form cut the number of pages pensioners had to complete from 40 to 10 and removed questions irrelevant to the vast majority of pensioners. The Department also established a MIG helpline to enable pensioners to claim over the telephone.
	Improvements have been made to our standard size claim forms, particularly those relating to disability benefits. They include using a larger type size, increasing the size of answer boxes and using a background tint that gives the best possible contrast to improve legibility.
	We are also currently testing a new shorter and simpler attendance allowance claim form aimed at claimants aged 75 or over. If this 16 page form, which replaces the existing 34 page form, is successful in obtaining the information we need we will be looking to apply the lessons learned to other groups of disabled people applying for disability living allowance and attendance allowance.

Pensioners Earnings

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) proportion and (b) number of pensioners have income from earnings, broken down in both cases into five-year age bands.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is in the table.
	
		
			   Age Proportion of pensioners with income from earnings (percentage)  Number of pensioners with income from earnings 
		
		
			 60–64 20 80,000 
			 65–69 19 320,000 
			 70–74 8 130,000 
			 75+ 2 60,000 
			 All 9 580,000 
		
	
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey 2000–01.

Income Support

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Telford are in receipt of income support payments.

Malcolm Wicks: As at November 2001 there were an estimated 6,900 income support recipients in Telford parliamentary constituency.
	Notes:
	1. Number is rounded to the nearest 100.
	2. Estimate is based on a 5 per cent. sample of the income support computer system, and is subject to sampling variation.
	Source:
	Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, November 2001.

Asbestosis

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people receive industrial injury benefit as a result of suffering from asbestosis.

Nick Brown: Asbestosis is a generic term for all asbestos-related diseases. The prescribed diseases (PDs) relating specifically to those suffering from the effects of exposure to asbestos are diffuse mesothelioma (PD3), primary carcinoma of the lung (PD8) where there is evidence of asbestosis and diffuse pleural thickening (PD9). In addition pneumoconiosis (PD1) can relate to asbestosis but also to silicosis (which is not an asbestos-related disease).
	The available information is in the table.
	
		Number of cases where industrial injuries disablement benefit was in payment as at 1 April 2000
		
			 Disease Number 
		
		
			 Pneumoconiosis (PD1) (29)11,000 
			 Diffuse mesothelioma (PD3) 1,000 
			 Primary carcinoma (PD8) (30)200 
			 Diffuse pleural thickening (PD9) 2,000 
		
	
	(29) This figure also includes cases of silicosis which is not an asbestos-related disease. Separate figures for asbestos-related disease only in this category are not available.
	(30) As this figure is less than 500 it should be treated as an indication of the number of cases only.
	Source:
	Figures are from a 10 per cent. sample of IIDB assessments in payment, and are rounded to the nearest 1,000.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Fair Trade

Michael Weir: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 703W, on fair trade goods, if he will review during Fair Trade Fortnight the amount of fairly traded goods used in his Department.

Christopher Leslie: My Department's purchasing policy is based on value for money principles and purchases are considered on the basis of fitness for purpose and whole life cost. Where these considerations are equal the choice of goods is then influenced by ethical and environmental factors and fair trade goods will be considered in that context.
	My officials will consider with the new service provider for the Department's London offices the availability of fair trade goods in its refreshment facilities. Our contracted catering providers have assured us that wherever commercially practicable and viable they trade with companies who have their own ethical or fair trading initiatives.

Fair Trade

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether fair trade products are sold in his Department.

Christopher Leslie: Yes; our contracted catering providers have assured us that wherever commercially practicable and viable they trade with companies who have their own ethical or fair trading initiatives.
	As I mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member for Angus (Mr. Weir) on 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 703W, the Cabinet Office will consider with the new service provider for the Department's London offices the availability of fair trade goods in its refreshment facilities.

Civil Servants

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what was the (a) percentage and number of rail journeys undertaken on first class tickets, (b) average cost of a first class journey by rail and (c) total cost of rail travel in each of the past four years broken down by grade of civil servant.

Christopher Leslie: Section 8 of the Civil Service Management Code, paragraph 8.2.1, requires Departments and agencies to ensure that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel in the circumstances, taking into account any management benefit or the needs of staff with disabilities.
	The information requested is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Sponsorship

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, ref 32799, on which date the Cabinet Office guidelines on sponsorship took effect; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The Cabinet Office document "Guidance to Departments on Sponsorship of Government Activities" was published in July 2000 as part of the Government's response to the Sixth Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cmnd 4817). These guidelines updated the previous internal sponsorship guidelines that had been circulated to Departments in March 1999.

Radio Advertising

Diane Abbott: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the Central Office of Information spent on radio advertising on behalf of other Government Department agencies and NDPBs in the last year; what percentage of this was spent on black minority media advertising; and what the five main campaigns that the Central Office of Information financed that involved radio advertising were.

Christopher Leslie: For the year 2000–01 the total spend on radio advertising was £16 million, with 1.25 per cent. spent on black minority stations.
	The top five campaigns, by value which featured radio advertising were:
	University for Industry autumn campaign,
	Vehicle car crime,
	Think! (road safety),
	Police recruitment and
	Children's tax credit.

Women and Equality Unit

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff are employed in the Women and Equality Unit of the Cabinet Office.

Barbara Roche: The Women's Unit was created in 1998. Its staff for the first financial year of its existence (1998–99) was 45. The unit was renamed the Women and Equality Unit following last year's general election in order to recognise its new policy responsibilities across the United Kingdom for gender equality, co-ordination of sexual orientation policy and its sponsorship of the Equal Opportunities Commission. Its current staffing level stands at 68.

Women and Equality Unit

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the findings were of the joint benchmarking study of the Women and Equality Unit of the Cabinet Office and the Swedish Government.

Barbara Roche: The publication "Women as Entrepreneurs in Sweden and the UK: Different Perspectives" built upon a bilateral initiative between Sweden and the UK on women's entrepreneurship.
	The publication identified the sharing of good practice and supporting joint projects between the two countries, as effective tools to encourage female entrepreneurship.
	The study showed that, in the UK, the reasons for starting a business, the type of business run and the chosen method of accessing finance were markedly different between men and women. The reasons for these differences need to be reflected in the support provided.

Employers' Forum on Disability

Tim Boswell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which Government Departments are members of the Employers' Forum on Disability.

Christopher Leslie: The following civil service Departments and agencies are all members of the Employers' Forum on Disability:
	Cabinet Office
	Court Service
	Crown Prosecution Service
	Department for Education and Skills
	Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
	Department for Work and Pensions
	Department of Health
	Department of Trade and Industry
	Employment Service
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	Highways Agency
	HM Customs and Excise
	HM Land Registry
	Home Office
	Inland Revenue
	Insolvency Service
	Lord Chancellor's Department
	Ministry of Defence
	Ministry of Defence Police
	National Assembly for Wales
	Office for National Statistics
	Ofgem
	Ofsted
	Oftel
	Patent Office
	The Public Record Office
	Companies House
	Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
	The Meteorological Office
	Financial Services Authority
	Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
	Scottish Office
	Health and Safety Executive
	Prison Service
	Child Support Agency and Benefits Agency
	The Rent Service.

Sickness Absence

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what was the overall level of sickness absence in the civil service in 2000.

Christopher Leslie: The report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 2000" prepared for my Department by Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS) shows that by applying the same methodology as in previous years the average level of sickness absence was 9.9 days per staff year. This represents a small decrease over the equivalent figure of 10.1 days set out in the report for 1999. The report contains a comprehensive analysis of the 2000 figures.
	Calculated on the basis of absence per person, the figure for the civil service was 8.5 days. According to the CBI survey for 2000, this compares favourably with a figure of 10.2 days for the public sector as a whole and is only slightly more than the average rate of 7.8 days for all sectors.
	Departments have published Service Delivery Agreements which contain their individual targets for reducing sickness absence. Overall the civil service has been targeted to reduce sickness absence by 30 per cent. (to 7.2 days per staff year) by 2003 against the 1998 baseline. My Department is continuing to work with other Departments and agencies as they take forward their plans to reduce sickness absence.
	I have placed copies of the BioSS report in the Libraries of the House.

HEALTH

Unlicensed Medicines

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what joint strategies have been agreed between the Medicines Control Agency and the United States Government Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigation to combat the online sale of licensed and unlicensed medicines; and if he will publish them.

Hazel Blears: The Enforcement Group currently has no specific joint strategies with the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations. However, it does maintain close informal contact, on a case by case basis, shares intelligence, conducts joint investigations including visits where appropriate.

Anti-TB Vaccinations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of supply of anti-TB vaccinations to the NHS is.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 28 February 2002
	Current central stock holding (as at 12 March 2002):
	
		
			   Number 
		
		
			 BCG 2,126,550 
			 Tuberculin PPD 201,920

Capita Group

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the contracts that have been awarded to the Capita Group by the Department.

Hazel Blears: Since April 2001 five separate business areas within the Department have commissioned various pieces of work from companies operating within the Capita Group.
	The total value of work commissioned by each of the business areas varied between £10,500 and £87,700. The overall value of work was £271,700. In each case the work involved services to support a number of recruitment exercises to fill posts within the core Department and membership of committees.

Press and Public Relations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many press releases were issued by his Department (a) between 1 May and 31 December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1 May 1997 to end of year 230 
			 1998 556 
			 1999 742 
			 2000 664 
			 2001 552

Press and Public Relations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were employed in a press or public relations function in his Department on 1 January in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			   January  
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Number of staff in Media Centre—Press Officers 15 16 18 21 22 24 
			 Number of staff in Campaigns/PR 16 16 15 17 28 31 
			 Number of staff in Leeds (NHS Communications) 11 10 11 16 23 24 
			 Number of staff in—Comms Regional Offices 15 15 18 19 23 19 
			  
			 Total 57 57 62 73 96 98

Technologies Advisory Group

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1064W, if he will list the names of the members of the Technologies Advisory Group and their declared interests.

Hazel Blears: At present, most members of the Technologies Advisory Group are officials in the Department or in the National Assembly for Wales, who serve on the group as part of their responsibilities within the two Departments rather than in a personal capacity. The officials who attend meetings may also vary depending on their availability and the topics under discussion. For these reasons we do not consider it would be appropriate to list individual names. We are currently consulting on proposals to extend the membership of the group and we will consider, in the light of replies to consultation, whether there would be a case in future for listing the names of individual members.

NHS Communication (E-mail)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his policy that there should be one e-mail system through which NHS employees can communicate with each other; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Yes. Our programme for modernising the national health service (NHS) as set out in the NHS plan will rely on the provision of efficient and effective information systems to enable the benefits for patients and the public to be achieved. A common e-mail system is one component of this; by opting for a common system across the NHS the maximum benefits of value for money will be obtained. To this end, the NHS information authority is currently conducting a formal open procurement exercise for e-mail and directory services for the NHS. It is expected that subject to successful completion of negotiations a preferred bidder will be announced shortly.

Accommodation Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of hotel accommodation for departmental staff working away from home in each of the last four years.

Hazel Blears: The Department does not keep separate information about the cost of hotel accommodation but I am able to provide information about the cost of night subsistence for departmental staff working away from home. This will include hotel accommodation, meals and some incidental expenses. The cost of night subsistence, including overseas, for the last four financial years for which information is available is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Hotel and subsistence costs (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 871,756 
			 1998–99 861,352 
			 1999–2000 1,099,249 
			 2000–01 1,338,967

Alcohol Misuse

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government expect to publish their alcohol misuse strategy.

Hazel Blears: The NHS plan says that the Department will be implementing the national strategy to tackle alcohol misuse by 2004. The Department is on course to achieve this target and we expect to publish a consultation paper for the strategy this summer.

Healthy Living Centres

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many healthy living centres there are in Northumberland.

Jacqui Smith: The healthy living centre initiative is managed by the New Opportunities Fund (NOF). There are currently no healthy living centres in Northumberland, however, there are a number of applications under consideration and a decision on one from the Northumberland area is expected from the NOF Healthy Living Centre Committee shortly.

Children in Care (Education)

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children leaving care have had five or more GCSEs, grades A-C, in each of the past five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is only available for the past two years, and is shown in the table.
	
		Proportion of children leaving care who had five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C for the years ending 31 March 2000 and 2001
		
			 England Percentage 
		
		
			  
			 2001 5 
			 2000 4

Cannabis

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the relationship between cannabis smoking and the risks of (a) schizophrenia and (b) lung cancer.

Hazel Blears: The '"Dangerousness of drugs"' report published last year by the national addiction centre states that there is evidence of an association between cannabis use and schizophrenia, but the significance of this association is unclear. Cannabis can exacerbate the symptoms of schizophrenia in affected individuals and is linked with relapse in schizophrenia.
	The report also states that there is no conclusive evidence that cannabis causes cancer in humans, but may be an important risk factor for the development of respiratory cancer. However, smoking tobacco as well or using tobacco as a vehicle for smoking cannabis resin is a confounding factor.

National Radiological Protection Board

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent the work and advice of the NRPB is independent of Government.

Yvette Cooper: The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) was set up in 1970 under the Radiological Protection Act as a corporate body with functions concerning the protection of people from radiation hazards. It is a non-departmental public body. The chairman and members of the statutory board are appointed by Health Ministers, following Nolan/Neill principles, to ensure an appropriate mix of independent experts. Responsibility for setting the overall strategic direction of the work of NRPB, for monitoring the programme and ensuring that advice is impartial, authoritative and independent of Government and others bodies, rests with the chairman and the appointed members.
	The board benefits from the advice of three independent advisory groups composed of non-NRPB experts. The Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation and the Advisory Group on Ionising Radiation review the evidence on the biological and medical effects of radiation. They also advise the board on future research priorities. A new advisory group—the Radiation, Risk and Society Advisory Group—has been set up to help NRPB to improve its communication in a practical way.

National Radiological Protection Board

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence underlay the NRPB's judgment that a magnetic field exposure of 1600uT is unsafe.

Yvette Cooper: The considerations underlying the National Radiological Protection Board's guidance on exposure to electromagnetic fields is contained in Documents of the NRPB Volume 4 Number 5, 1993 and Documents of the NRPB Volume 10 Number 2, 1999.
	Insofar as magnetic fields are concerned, the exposure guidelines are developed to prevent adverse effects of induced current in the body. The current density level given in the above NRPB advice to avoid adverse biological effects on the central nervous system is 10 milliamperes per square metre.
	Calculations were made to relate the external magnetic field to the induced current density using a dosimetric model. The model chosen was considered to be conservative hence exceeding the investigation level (1600T) does not necessarily imply an "unsafe" level.

National Radiological Protection Board

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is within the remit of the NRPB to present to the public a statement of the effects of (a) ionising and (b) non-ionising radiation.

Yvette Cooper: The Radiological Protection Act 1970 provided for the establishment of a National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) with functions concerning the protection of people from radiation hazards; and for connected purposes. The Act defines "radiation hazards" as the dangers of ionising radiations emitted by radioactive substances or other sources and radiations which are electromagnetic but not ionising. The reference to non-ionising radiation was added by Statutory Instrument 1974 No. 1230.
	It is, therefore, within NRPB's remit to comment on ionising and non-ionising radiation; NRPB's website www.nrpb.org contains much material on both types of radiological hazard.

National Radiological Protection Board

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what decision the NRPB has made with respect to its magnetic field exposure threshold.

Yvette Cooper: The National Radiological Protection Board advice on electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure guidelines is contained in Documents of the NRPB Volume 4 Number 5, 1993 and Documents of the NRPB Volume 10 Number 2, 1998.
	A further review of the scientific basis for the EMF exposure guidelines is currently in progress. The terms of reference for the review are:
	To produce a comprehensive assessment of the science covering the areas of biology, epidemiology and dosimetry and provide guidance on limiting exposure of people to electromagnetic fields in the range of 0 Hz to 300 GHz.
	To consider where information may be lacking, discuss any need to invoke a precautionary approach and what that might be.
	The results of the review will be published as a consultative document in 2002.

Mesotherapy

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the mesotherapy treatments which are available from the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 7 March 2002
	I understand that while mesotherapy has a number of applications, it is of most relevance to the NHS as a method of pain relief. Mesotherapy is a treatment where local anaesthetic is injected in small amounts to an area of pain. Chronic pain relief is provided throughout the NHS in different forms, and includes the use of local anaesthetic. However, pain relief is a short-term measure and it is important that the underlying cause of the pain is identified and treated.
	The decision on the type of pain relief treatment provided to patients is made on a case by case basis. The Department does not collect details of the different types of pain relief available on the NHS.

Autism

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the additional money for research into autism will be spent.

Jacqui Smith: The additional funds provide the opportunity for the Medical Research Council (MRC) to accelerate research on autism, building on existing strengths and addressing gaps which were identified in the report of their review of the epidemiology and causes of autism. It will complement and add to the MRC's current support for research in this field. It is likely that the range of research supported will be broader than that of the MRC review and may include research to develop and evaluate interventions.
	The MRC will shortly be setting up a steering group which will offer detailed advice on implementation. Building on the success of lay involvement in the MRC review, the membership of this group will importantly include lay people. The Department will have an observer on the group. We will continue to pursue our constructive dialogue with the MRC on autism research.

Dentistry

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children are registered with an NHS dentist in the East Riding of Yorkshire; and what the figures are for each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: Arrangements are now in place to ensure that patients can gain access to NHS services simply by calling NHS Direct. This means that even if a patient chooses not to register with a dentist it will still be possible for that patient to access all forms of dentistry that are provided by the NHS.
	The number of child patients registered with a general dental service (GDS) dentist in East Riding and Hull health authority (HA) at 30 September for each of the years 1997 to 2001 is shown in the table.
	In September 1996, the registration period for new child registrations was shortened to 15 months. Previously child registrations expired at the end of the following calendar year. This affected registration numbers from December 1997 onwards. Data for 1997 is not comparable with later years.
	Some patients that are not registered with a GDS dentist choose to attend occasionally.
	Data for the East Riding area is unavailable.
	
		General dental service: number of child registrations, 1997 to 2001 -- East Riding and Hull health authorityThousands
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1997(31) 85.6 
			 1998 79.2 
			 1999 80.7 
			 2000 81.6 
			 2001 81.8 
		
	
	(31) Registration number is not comparable to later figures because of the change in the registration period to 15 months.

Mental Health

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to support NHS staff dealing with the mental health problems of older people; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Following publication of national service frameworks (NSF) for mental health and for older people, the Department has established a number of multi-agency care group workforce teams, including one focused on older people and one on mental health, to support national workforce development.
	Standard 7 of the Older People's NSF concerns the promotion of good mental health in older people and the provision of treatment and support for older people with dementia and depression. Work undertaken to implement the framework standards, and within the care group workforce teams, will help to strengthen training and education for existing staff and support recruitment, consistent with the proposals in the NHS plan for new staff to support people of all ages with mental health problems.

Mental Health

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what proportion of the hospital budget was spent on mental health services in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what proportion of the community health budget has been spent on mental health nursing services in each year since 1994–95.

Jacqui Smith: The proportion of the hospital budget spent on mental health services in each year since 1996–97 and the proportion of the community health budget spent on mental health nursing in each year since 1994–95 is shown in the table.
	
		Percentage 
		
			  Community Hospital Total 
		
		
			 1994–95 9.5 10.9 10.7 
			 1995–96 9.5 10.9 10.7 
			 1996–97 12.2 12.2 12.2 
			 1997–98 13.6 12.0 12.3 
			 1998–99 13.3 11.8 12.1 
			 1999–2000 13.3 12.3 12.5 
		
	
	However the figure given for 1999–2000 is not comparable to previous years or future years, 1999–2000 represents the first year that primary care group expenditure was included in the calculation and the formula used to apportion the expenditure was based on estimated data. In future years the data for primary care groups will be more detailed and the resultant figure for percentage spend will be more accurate.

Domiciliary Care

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are receiving domiciliary care; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: An estimated 1.3 million adult clients received a package of community-based services (following assessment), by councils with social services responsibilities, in England, during the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001. A client may be recorded more than once during the year.

Hospital Service Availability

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is towards acceptable travel distances between (a) maternity hospital services, (b) paediatric hospital services and (c) general hospital services.

Yvette Cooper: The Department set up a Maternity and Neonatal Workforce Group last year to examine the best way to provide high quality maternity services which will provide safe, effective, evidence based and accessible care to mothers and babies.
	We are also committed to producing the acute module of the new children's national service framework which will, among other issues, consider access to appropriate care and facilities for children.

Women's Hospitals

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on providing specialist maternity and obstetric services in stand-alone dedicated women's hospitals.

Yvette Cooper: The national health service provides a variety of types of care for women during pregnancy and childbirth including care in stand-alone dedicated women's hospitals, general hospital maternity units, as well as midwife-led units. We expect this variety to continue and do not support any one single model of maternity service provision in preference to all others.
	It is for health authorities and NHS trusts to decide on the pattern of service provision taking into account the needs of local service users, evidence of effectiveness and available resources.
	The Department has set up a Maternity and Neonatal Workforce Group to make recommendations through the Children's Taskforce on workforce issues and various models for configuration of maternity services.

National Care Standards

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has (a) made and (b) received of the cost of upgrading establishments to meet his national care standards; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 7 March 2002
	The full Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Care Homes Regulations and national minimum standards for care homes for older people and younger adults estimated that the cost of meeting the environmental standards from 1 April 2002 would be £68 million over five years.

A and E Services (Shropshire)

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for patients at the accident and emergency units at (a) Princess Royal Telford and (b) Royal Shrewsbury hospital.

Hazel Blears: The average waiting time in accident and emergency (A&E) units in not collected.
	The NHS plan set new targets to reduce the maximum wait in A&E from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge to four hours by 2004. The interim milestone is to achieve 75 per cent. of A&E attendees waiting four hours or less by March 2002.
	In line with this, from August 2001, the Department has collected data on total time in A&E from arrival to transfer, admission or discharge. Information suggests that the NHS is on track to meet the March 2002 milestone with currently 77 per cent. of all people attending A&E waiting four hours or less.

NHS Reorganisation

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost of office moves resulting from NHS reorganisation in the last three years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The Department has not collected any data which would enable an assessment to be made of the cost of office moves resulting from NHS reorganisation. For example, mergers of NHS trusts may involve the need to consolidate at one of those merged, or new offices entirely. The cost of this is not readily identifiable from trust accounts.

MMR Vaccine

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the target payments paid to general practitioners for MMR vaccination rates.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 11 March 2002
	There have been calls for a moratorium on the target payment system in the wake of the public debate on the MMR vaccine. We recognise the hard work of general practitioners and health visitors in responding to parents' concerns around MMR and trying to sustain high rates of immunisation in the current climate. However, we consider it would be inappropriate and counter-productive to change the target payment system at this time.

MMR Vaccine

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of children in the Cynon valley have been immunised before their fifth birthday against measles, mumps and rubella in the last year for which figures are available; what the national average is; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Government reach their target rate for vaccination.

Paul Murphy: I have been asked to reply. 
	These are matters for the National Assembly for Wales. I am, though, aware that the Assembly has taken a number of steps over the past year, aimed at improving uptake of the MMR vaccine.
	In April 2001, they launched the Mythbuster initiative, to assist health professionals in counselling concerned parents and dispelling myths surrounding the safety of MMR. This was followed up with a comprehensive information programme which included an in-depth technical pack, leaflets, posters and videos.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford's letter of 22 November, with reference to Mr. Raybould (Ref column: POH (3) 5499/G).

Hazel Blears: A reply was sent on 15 March.

Parliamentary Questions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 843W, on parliamentary questions, if he will give details of the work that has been re-prioritised in order for the backlog of outstanding Questions to be answered.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 18 March 2002
	Clearing the backlog of outstanding parliamentary questions has been handled without the need for a major re-prioritisation of work. It has been cleared either through staff working extra hours, by using staff between postings or by temporarily seconding a member of staff whose duties were covered by colleagues.

NHS Widowers' Pensions

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of including women doctors' pension contributions prior to 1988 in the calculations for NHS widowers' pensions;
	(2)  if he plans to include the contributions paid into NHS pensions by women doctors prior to 1988 in the calculations for NHS widowers' pension provision.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the former Member for North Norfolk (Mr. Prior) on 13 January 1999, Official Report, column 212.